Religious leaders from various denominations in Osun State gathered on Monday to pray fervently for the possibility of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in the August 8, 2026, governorship election in the state.

They conducted the special supplication at an annual prayer session organised by the Osun State Government in Osogbo.

The clerics, who quoted several holy scriptures, commended the governor’s delivery of good governance and invoked verses from the holy books to justify the need for the Governor’s re-election.

The Chief Imam of Osogboland, Sheikh Musa Animasahun, and the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr John Adeleke, saluted the governor’s devotion to God at every opportunity and beseeched divine intervention to resolve the challenges facing the state and ease the burden of re-election for the Governor.

The labour leaders, led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abimbola Arapasopo, spoke at length about the many accomplishments of Governor Adeleke. They reaffirmed the labour movement’s resolution to vote en masse for the re-election of the governor on August 8, 2026.

The labour chief warned against the ongoing harassment of local government workers by APC operatives and some elements of the police force, declaring that no amount of intimidation will stop labour support for the governor.

Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, who spoke in Yoruba language, listed five indicators of good governance that have validated the state governor’s successful governance, including awards and high ratings in education, health, infrastructure, and debt management, as well as the latest first-position rating of the state in budget and fiscal transparency and accountability.

Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in his address, reiterated his endorsement of Governor Adeleke for a second term, declaring that Osun needs to sustain the incumbent’s good performance as he takes the state to new heights.

“I repeat today that Governor Adeleke deserves re-election. Let us take the message to every corner of Osun State. There is no need to change a medicine that is working for you”, the former governor said.

Addressing the audience comprising civil servants, clerics and top government officials, Governor Adeleke went deeply spiritual in his praying and adulation of God, declaring, “By the special grace of God and by the mass support of our people, we shall assemble here again in January 2027, in victory and gratitude to God and the good people of Osun State.

“I look back at the previous annual prayer sessions, and I affirm that our good Lord is indeed the ruler of heaven and earth. Our God is our sustainer, our defender, our protector. From the beginning to date, our God fights our battles for us. The universal being rises against those who rise against us. My God, your God, our God engages those who block us. We secured several divine victories in the last three years. We have overcome several obstacles and challenges.

“We are here today as a testimony that God rules in the affairs of men. We stand before you today as a government that enjoys the super grace of the creator. When we call him, he answers us; when we invoke him, he answers with thunderstorms. The divine crushes our enemies; He destroys their evil plots, and we emerge victorious in battle upon battle. As the Lord is of yesterday, today and tomorrow, as the Lord is ever on the throne, we shall continue to be victorious; we shall continue to overcome; we shall remain undefeated.

“All the above shall be so because we serve nothing but the best interest of our people. From day one, we launched out to serve the people. From my assumption of office, I rolled out pro-people policies and programmes. Three years later, we have delivered across sectors for the benefit of people and the state. We fulfil our promises to the people.

“So as your governor, I stand before you with a fulfilled heart. I have not disappointed Osun people. I have helped our neglected senior citizens; I have assisted the poor; I have rebuilt our roads and bridges; I have brought strong support to artisans; I have addressed our educational and health challenges.

“Under very difficult circumstances, we are resolving the half salary and pension debt, which the opposition said cannot be paid. I have ensured that Osun money circulated within Osun. I ease the burden of investors. We have remained faithful to our vows to run a government of the people, by the people and of the people.

“Dear clerics and opinion leaders of our dear state, I express our deep appreciation for your prayers and invocation. The hand of our creator is everywhere in the accomplishments of our government. God is answering our prayers all the way. We should not stop praying; we should sustain our sleepless nights; we should continue to seek divine favours and guidance.

“We remain resolute in our desire to liberate Osun state and her people from under-development. We remain determined to pursue our five-point agenda to its logical conclusions. Our aspirations are for an Osun State that is collectively prosperous and a model for good governance in Nigeria”, the governor declared.

He charged Osun people not to waver in their support for his administration, declaring that “We cannot go back to the dark days, and our duty is to embark on electoral vigilance and activism.”