Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Iyiola Omisore, has agreed to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Osun state governorship rerun election on Thursday.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ademola Adeleke, had polled 254,698 votes to defeat Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, who polled 254,345 votes in the governorship election held on Saturday.
Omisore scored a total 128,049 votes to place third.
However, due to irregularities which marred the election at some polling units in Ife North, Ife South and Orolu local government areas, including cases of card reader malfunctioning and ballot box snatching, among others, 3,498 votes recorded in the affected polling units were cancelled.
Senate President Bukola Saraki led some PDP members to meet with Omisore at his Ife residence on Monday to seek his support in the rerun election.
APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, Lasun Yusuf, met the SDP candidate on Tuesday to win him over.
Also on the APC delegation were Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and Governor-elect Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Omisore said his party has decided to endorse APC.
“We have accepted to support the APC for victory in the rerun election tomorrow and thereafter form a coalition government,” he said.
Omisore had earlier said he will not negotiate with either PDP or APC for personal gains and abandon my people.
“My alliance is with the people of Osun state irrespective of the political party they belong. I want my people to be treated with the dignity they deserve. I desire that they have a government that will be accountable to them. I want them to experience the good governance the founding fathers of this state envisaged.
“I have told the parties that have solicited for my support to approach the electorate and ask for their mandate as I have assured them that I will not coerce them for political or social power. It is because I have kept my promise that has made me enjoy their unalloyed support all these years.
“The fulcrum of my campaign was and is still the restoration of good governance and accountability to our dear state. I have consistently preached against voters coercion, I have voiced my stand against votes buying, voters intimidation, and politicisation.”
