Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has announced a N500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to provide relief for verified victims and families affected by violence during the state’s recent governorship election.
Adeleke also announced full scholarships through university level for the children and dependants of people who lost their lives in the violence. The scholarships will be provided by his family through the Springtime Development Foundation.
The governor made the announcements on Wednesday after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission following his re-election.
He said the relief fund would cater to verified victims and affected families, with a Verification and Relief Committee established to identify beneficiaries and oversee the distribution of assistance.
The committee will be chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun.
Adeleke said the intervention would be available to eligible victims regardless of their political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status.
The governor said the initiative was prompted by deaths, injuries and the destruction of property and livelihoods recorded during the electoral process.
He also disclosed the names of some of those killed, including Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera.
Beyond the relief package, Adeleke appealed for unity following the election, assuring residents who supported other candidates that his administration would serve the entire state.
He pledged to sustain investment in infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and economic development, while strengthening accountability, transparency and inclusion.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after he secured 511,067 votes, defeating the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 409,849 votes.
Adeleke won in 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.
The governor’s announcement places immediate attention on the humanitarian consequences of the election, while also signalling an effort to address the losses suffered by families and communities during the campaign and voting period.
