Popular All Progressives Congress (APC) woman leader, Alhaja Ero Arike, has broken her silence following the defeat of the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the just-concluded Osun State governorship election.
Arike, who is known for her strong support for the APC and her criticism of Governor Ademola Adeleke, reacted to the election outcome in a video message shared after the incumbent was declared the winner.
Rather than expressing bitterness over the result, the APC chieftain described the outcome as one of the realities of political contests, noting that candidates and their supporters must be prepared for both favourable and unfavourable results.
“As you and I all know, politics is a gamble, sometimes you win, and other times, you lose. This is the harsh reality of the game.”
Adeleke, who contested the election under the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji of the APC, who recorded 444,815 votes.
The result handed Adeleke another four-year term as governor of Osun State after a closely watched election that attracted significant attention from political parties, supporters and observers across the state.
Arike recalls supporting Adeleke
While reacting to the outcome, Arike also reflected on her previous political relationship with Adeleke, revealing that she once supported the governor during his earlier bid for the Osun governorship.
She recalled that Adeleke, who was defeated by former governor Gboyega Oyetola in his first attempt at the governorship, had enjoyed her support at the time before she later moved to the APC.
“I have once supported Nurudeen Jackson back in the days when he lost to Gboyega Oyetola at his first shot at governorship, before I then decamped to APC,” she said.
Her recollection appeared to highlight the unpredictable nature of political allegiances and electoral contests, particularly in Osun State, where politicians have frequently switched political camps over the years.
APC woman leader consoles Oyebamiji
Despite the APC’s loss, Arike maintained her support for Oyebamiji and urged him not to regard the election defeat as the end of his political journey.
She assured the former Commissioner of Finance that he still had the backing of her and other supporters within the party.
“I want to assure Oyebamiji that I and many others are still firm behind him. We are still steadfast in our support for him. This loss is not the end of the world.”
Arike also used a religious comparison to encourage Oyebamiji, pointing out that setbacks are part of life and political struggles.
Her reaction comes as the APC begins to come to terms with the outcome of an election in which the party had hoped to reclaim Osun State from Adeleke.
The governor’s victory means he will remain in office for another four years, while Oyebamiji and the APC are expected to review the party’s performance and strategy ahead of future political contests in the state.
Watch the video below:
@eroarikeolokemeji0♬ original sound – eroarikeolokemeji
