NDC Hails Adeleke, Rejects Gov’s Endorsement of Tinubu
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has hailed the re-election of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, describing it as a victory for democracy and the triumph of the people’s will, but faulted the governor’s reported pledge to support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election demonstrated that voters could resist what he described as “tyranny”, “civilian dictatorship” and attempts to suppress their democratic choices through the electoral process.
Director, in his reaction to the election, commended the people of Osun State for turning out to vote and insisting that their votes must count.
He said the outcome was particularly significant because it showed that federal power could not determine an election when voters were determined to exercise their franchise.
“The victory of the Accord Party in the Osun State governorship election is a victory for democracy. It is a triumph of the people’s will over any authoritarian leadership,” he said.
“It is a befitting crowning of the dogged efforts of the great people of Osun who resisted tyranny, who resisted civilian dictatorship, who resisted oppression and refused to be silenced and insisted that their vote must count.”
Director also commended Adeleke for insisting on his right to seek re-election, saying the governor had stood his ground to contest and allow the people to determine his fate at the polls.
“I commend Governor Adeleke for standing firm to insist that he has the right to contest and be voted for by his people if that is their choice, and indeed, that is actually their choice and became their choice,” he said.
However, the NDC spokesman faulted Adeleke’s reported pledge to deliver Osun State to Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, describing the declaration as premature and symptomatic of what he called the self-interest of the political elite.
Director questioned whether such a commitment took into account the sacrifices made by those who supported Adeleke’s re-election, including those who, according to him, lost their lives during the struggle surrounding the election.
“I am surprised that Adeleke is promising to deliver Osun to President Bola Tinubu come 2027 presidential election. I think that is too hasty of him to say,” he said.
“He shows our elitist disposition. Political elite and ruling class are usually concerned about themselves.”
He added: “If you think of those who died in the process to ensure that he gets the victory he desired, is he saying that they should die in vain?”
The NDC spokesman urged Adeleke to savour his electoral victory and allow the people of Osun to independently determine their preferred candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
He argued that the Osun result had itself demonstrated the limits of political control, stressing that even the alleged deployment of federal might could not dictate the voters’ choice.
“Also, in any case, he cannot determine what the people will do. Just like Bola Tinubu, with all the federal might, could not determine what the Osun people were going to do,” Director said.
“So let him just savour his victory and allow the people in Osun State to decide who they are going to vote for in the presidential election in 2027.”
Director also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the election, but warned that the credibility recorded in Osun must not be a one-off occurrence.
He said the NDC would hold the electoral body to the standard established by the election, urging INEC to sustain the transparency witnessed in the poll through the 2027 general election.
“I hope this is not going to be a flash in the pan on the part of INEC to make us lose our guards and think that come 2027 it will be this transparent,” he said.
“We are going to hold them to account to live up to this standard.”
The NDC spokesman also recalled INEC’s assurances that technical glitches associated with electronic transmission and other electoral technologies would be addressed, saying Nigerians expected the 2027 presidential election to be transparent, participatory and credible.
“Kudos to Nigerians that we are at least moving towards the attainment of where elections are not a do-or-die affair and where the votes of the people count,” Director said.