Workers and pensioners in Osun State on Monday trooped out in large numbers at the State Government Secretariat in Osogbo to celebrate the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the August 15 governorship election.
The jubilant workers sang solidarity songs, chanted victory slogans and danced as they expressed satisfaction with the governor’s victory and his return for a second term in office.
Speaking with journalists at 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 residents of the state.
Arapasopo said the gathering was not only to celebrate the election result but also to appreciate 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 Adeleke’s victory as a victory for workers, pensioners and the entire people of Osun State, urging the governor to remain committed to the promises he made during the electioneering campaign.
According to him, the organised labour supported Adeleke because of what it considered the administration’s attention to workers’ welfare and the interests of pensioners.
Arapasopo further described Adeleke as a leader whom he believed had responded to the yearnings of workers, pensioners and residents, assuring the governor of the continued support of organised labour.
However, the NLC chairman used the occasion to make a significant political declaration, announcing the support of workers and pensioners in Osun State for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid in the 2027 presidential election.
Arapasopo, who recalled that he had earlier appealed to the President to ensure a free and fair governorship election in Osun, commended Tinubu for what he described as allowing the votes of the people to count.
He declared, “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.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Osun State, Comrade Abimbola Fasasi, described Adeleke’s re-election as an expression of the people’s will and a reward for the goodwill he said the governor had built among residents during his first term.
Fasasi urged workers to reciprocate the administration’s support by demonstrating greater commitment to their duties, while calling on Adeleke to do more for the workforce during his second term.
He identified workers’ housing, settlement of outstanding obligations relating to the minimum wage for pensioners, promotion of workers and prompt implementation of any new minimum wage as key areas the administration should prioritise.
The TUC chairman also expressed concern over the declining purchasing power of workers as a result of inflation, urging the state government to sustain its focus on workers’ welfare.
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 the governor to sustain the policies he described as positive during his first term and introduce more measures capable of improving the welfare of workers and pensioners.
The celebration continued with singing, dancing and solidarity chants as the workers described Adeleke’s re-election as an endorsement of his administration’s performance and its relationship with the workforce.
The event also provided a platform for organised labour to outline its expectations for the governor’s second term while publicly declaring its political support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
