Osun Workers, Pensioners Celebrate Adeleke’s Re-election, Declare Support for Tinubu’s 2027 Bid

Osun State workers and pensioners celebrating Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election victory on Monday

Osun State workers and pensioners on Monday stormed the premises of the State Government Secretariat in Osogbo to celebrate Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Saturday’s governorship election.

The workers, who turned out in large numbers, sang solidarity songs, chanted victory slogans and danced in celebration of Adeleke’s successful bid for a second term in office.

Speaking with journalists during the celebration, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, attributed Adeleke’s victory to what he described as the administration’s positive disposition towards workers, pensioners and the generality of the people.

Arapasopo said the workers had gathered not only to celebrate the outcome of the election but also to thank God and congratulate the people of Osun State for what he described as a “job well done” at the polls.

He said, “Whatever Mr Governor is seeing today is just a result of his good deeds towards workers and pensioners. Welfarism is always a force as far as government is concerned.”

The NLC chairman described the election outcome as a victory for workers, pensioners and the people of Osun State, while urging Adeleke not to lose sight of the promises he made during the electioneering campaign.

According to him, workers and pensioners demonstrated their support for the governor because they believe his administration has placed considerable emphasis on their welfare and improved its engagement with organised labour.

Arapasopo also described Adeleke as a leader whom he believed God had positioned to respond to the yearnings of workers, pensioners and other residents of the state.

He assured the governor of the continued support and cooperation of organised labour as his administration begins another four-year term.

However, the NLC chairman made a significant political declaration during the celebration when he announced the support of Osun workers and pensioners for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027.

Arapasopo, who said he had previously appealed to the President to ensure a free and fair election in Osun State, commended Tinubu for what he described as allowing the electorate’s votes to count in the governorship election.

He said, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the entire labour in Osun State, workers and pensioners, we are supporting you for your second term because you have made us proud. We are with you, Asiwaju.”

The declaration adds a notable political dimension to the workers’ celebration, as the labour leader linked the outcome of the Osun election to his assessment of the Federal Government’s conduct of the electoral process.

It also signals the emergence of a political alignment that could become significant ahead of the 2027 general election.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Osun State, Comrade Abimbola Fasasi, described Adeleke’s victory as an expression of the will of God and a reward for the goodwill he said the governor had built among residents during his first term.

Fasasi urged workers to reciprocate the governor’s support by becoming more committed to their duties, while appealing to Adeleke to do more for the workforce during his second term.

He identified workers’ housing, the settlement of outstanding obligations relating to minimum wage entitlements for pensioners, the promotion of workers and the prompt implementation of any new minimum wage as areas the administration should prioritise.

Fasasi also noted that inflation had significantly eroded the purchasing power of workers, stressing the need for the state government to sustain its focus on workers’ welfare and take measures capable of cushioning the impact of rising living costs.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Olamilekan Adediran, said Adeleke’s return to office reflected what he described as the happiness and satisfaction of workers and residents with the administration.

Adediran said workers had not experienced such a favourable atmosphere in government for many years, particularly in the areas of welfare and attention to pensioners.

He urged Adeleke to sustain what he described as the positive policies of his first term while expanding them to address the outstanding demands of workers and pensioners during the next four years.

The workers’ celebration continued with singing, dancing and solidarity chants in support of the governor, with participants describing his re-election as an endorsement of his administration’s performance and its relationship with the workforce.