Date: 2014-08-10

In spite of the overwhelming pressure mounted by the unnecessary influx of over 70,000 armed personnel across the state of Osun; the illegal arrest and harassment of opposition members, and; the propaganda from the PDP, the great people of Osun have spoken with their votes. Osun has decided to give Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola another four year mandate.

I heartily congratulate my brother, Ogbeni Rauf on his sweeping re-election on the people-centered platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

From every nook and cranny of the State of Osun, people came out en mass to send a clear and loud message: we will not be bullied into submission; we will not cower until we get the change that we rightly deserve; and we will remain united in the firm belief that we can? rescue our nation from the failed governance of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Osun has shown those seasonal politicians, that come out few months before election to claim a mandate from the people that no federal might can defeat the will of a powerful people. I know there are many out there that believe its time for a change but are held back because they believe "federal might" can't be defeated or the people wish or voice doesn't count , fellow Nigerians the good people of Osun have shown how that is such a fallacy in today's Nigeria

Despite the clear-cut democratic victory that we have witnessed today, now that the dust has settled, we must get back to building strong precedents for our nation.I commend Nigerians especially the youth of Osun state, who followed the electoral process all day long to ensure results were not tampered with at any stage of the electoral process.

A job well done
The 2015 General Elections are only months away, therefore, before the single most important democratic contest of our time, we must bring those that choose to trample on the tenets of our democracy to justice.

We must begin to investigate the new trend of arresting opposition leaders prior to elections. We must also begin to honestly question the restrictions placed on many of our fundamental Constitutional freedoms when elections come around.Osun is not only a victory for Ogbeni Rauf and the people of his state, it is a victory for the future of this nation.

So, as we celebrate this monumental achievement, I urge Ogbeni Rauf to keep doing the will of his people.

I also urge all changemakers, pacesetters, and progressive minded Nigerians to come on board and join us in the battle to reclaim the mandate of our nation.We can rescue Nigeria, however, like Osun has demonstrated today, we have to work hard and work together.

God bless the great people of Osun.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki