Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has said his closest challenger in the just-concluded governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), should be the one to call and congratulate him on his victory, not the other way round.

Adeleke spoke in an exclusive interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner of the election.

Asked if he would reach out to the APC candidate, the governor said it was incumbent on Oyebamiji to reach out to him first, if he wanted to be civilised.

“I am not the one that is supposed to reach out to him now because I am the one that won the election and I have been announced. If he wants to be civilised, he is the one that is supposed to call me and say congratulations,” Adeleke said.

Despite his position that Oyebamiji should initiate contact, Adeleke extended an invitation to his opponent to work with his administration and contribute ideas that could benefit the state.

“But right now, I am seizing this opportunity on national TV to extend my hands of fellowship to come on now and talk to me. If you have any ideas, talk to me, and I will put it on the table. If the idea is good, I will want to utilise it; one thing is Osun State first,” he added.

Adeleke also said his administration would seek to heal the political divisions that characterised the campaign ahead of the election.

He disclosed plans to establish a reconciliation committee that would bring together his political opponents and other stakeholders to work towards the development of the state.

“I will look for a reconciliation committee to unite Osun people. I will invite even our opponents; if you have any idea, bring it to the table so that we could join hands together and make Osun great,” said the governor.

The Returning Officer for the election, Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner at the INEC Collation Centre in Osogbo in the early hours of Sunday.