On Sunday, Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner of the July 16 governorship election in Osun state, after polling 403,371 votes to defeat the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 375,027 votes. PAUL OKAH speaks with Nigerians on whether or not the Osun poll will be reflective of 2023.
Nigerians getting tired
Nigerians seem to be getting tired of bad governance. If nothing drastic happens, the APC will have a lot of convincing to do to Nigerians on why they feel they deserve to remain in office beyond 2023. The highest office in the land is the office of the citizen. Godfathers and politicians must learn not to ever take the people for granted. It is no longer business as usual. When you do not get the politics right, all your governance strides will not be rewarded with votes. Incumbency is a ruse. When the people really want you out, you will use the door.
Political Karma is such a satire. What paid to former Governor Ambode’s second term bid was disallowed by the same orchestrator when the roles were reversed and Aregbesola wanted to have his way. Governor Oyetola had his way at the party primaries, but the people helped Karma to disallow his ultimate emergence at the polls. Let the PDP as a party not rejoice yet as the victory is not a conclusive indication that they are wanted back at the helm of our national affairs. Abuse in the hands of an oppressive spouse is not enough justification to run into the waiting arms of a wicked ex. Evil is evil, no matter who does it. Incompetence is as unacceptable as insensitivity mixed with ruthlessness. As it is, Nigeria seems like a two-party state. It is difficult to climb the ladder from the rooftop. Pray, but work, INEC does not count prayer points, only votes.
…Tosin Ayo, scholar
A long way to go
Many Osun people are trying to sabotage the presidential candidate of the APC ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Osun is a Christian/Muslim state. Osun has over 65% Christians and 35% Muslims and Adeleke is a Christian. I feel that Oyetola had every reason to win the election and run his second tenure. That said; let us look at the general performance of other parties, especially Peter Obi’s Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections. Facts and figures exemplify any argument. It was on record that the Labour Party had their presidential aspirant on ground in Osun state to gather support for its guber candidate. PDP and APC did the same by bringing down their party presidential flag-bearers to sell their candidates to the state to enable the people to cast their votes.
These parties have existing structures that work for them during elections and you say Labour Party doesn’t need structures to win elections? Out of 804,450 valid voters, Labour Party had 2,729 and you think an election can be won by just sitting in your comfort zone and doing copy and paste online will emerge your principal as the president? Why do some followers say Osun elections are not their focus? That their focus is on the presidential election? It’s laughable to even think that Osun LP could not raise up to 5,000 voters, even when Peter Obi came down to campaign for the person who is contesting under this party for the governor. I feel their belief is that an election can be won by miracles.
…Adekunle Saheed, media consultant
Electorate, electoral law decisive
It is both risky and dangerous to undermine a popular predecessor in office. Not even one that performed and corresponds with both pettiness and pedestrianism in politics with the people. Politicians must learn not to ever allow an insider and former bed-sharer to leave their camp with their secret, strategy and strength no matter what. Pacify the disgruntled forces before going into any election. The defeated incumbent’s uncharismatic mien with his predecessor in office, in spite of his excellent performance, played a huge part in his loss. A house divided against itself cannot not stand. A consolidation of opposition is a formidable albatross to contend with.
It is easier to buy votes for a relatively popular candidate than for an unpopular candidate. When the people’s minds are truly made up, money will indeed be collected at the polls, but it will not significantly alter the results of an election. It is extremely difficult to rig out an overwhelming majority with money, especially where the majority also shares money. Electoral manipulation has become increasingly difficult with the newly amended Electoral Act’s introduction of electronic transmission of results, BVAS technology and the live updates. If you do not want to precipitate a major crisis, especially in an off-cycle election, the people’s votes must be left to count.
President Muhammadu Buhari does not seem to me as someone that encourages electoral manipulations. The APC machinery can collapse after him for all he cares, he will rather look away. Even if he clandestinely supports you in a Presidential primary election, he will not throw any meaningful weight behind you, but will wish you win and wish you the very best.
…Aisha Musa, civil servant
Buhari deserves commendations
The outcome of the Osun state governorship election held on Saturday shows that the electorate have the final say. Adeleke won in 17 out of 30 council areas of the state and had more than the required 25 per cent spread in each of the council areas. The polls in Osun, just as was in the case of Anambra, further confirm that the power to decide the emergence of leaders has drastically shifted from undue influence to the electorate. The places of the ruling party, godfatherism and massive rigging that had been factors that rob people of their right to choose their leaders have been curtailed.
I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for maintaining and standing for free, fair and credible elections in the country. I think the recent amendments of the Electoral Act and the commitment of President Buhari to free and fair elections could be credited to these recent developments. The recent outcomes in Anambra and Osun for APGA and PDP respectively are not just victories for those parties, but for our democracy and its gradual positive evolution. With these turn of events, more electorate will shun voter apathy and turn out enmasse for the general elections slated to hold in 2023.
…Chukwuma Okenwa, of Leadership Entrepreneurship and Advocacy
God’s intervention
The result of the Osun state gubernatorial election is a manifestation of God’s intervention in Nigerian politics. It is not an easy thing to defeat an incumbent in any election. If you look at how Buhari won Jonathan, you would see that it was designed. Otherwise, there is no way Jonathan would constitute INEC, empower them, give them money and they fail him. It was not ordinary. It was spiritually perfected by God.
For Adeleke to win the incumbent governor who has the legislature, the judiciary, councillors in all the wards, people in all the communities in Osun and all the Obas working for him and still failed woefully in such election, he has to count the hands of God in it. God wants to teach us some lessons so that you do not over empower yourself.
I will thank the House of Representatives and senators for having reformed our electoral laws. God used them mysteriously. Imagine senators sitting in a session to make a law that makes it impossible for them to decide who would run for any election in Nigeria. The lawmakers debated the law, passed it into law after 1st, 2nd and 3rd readings, they did not notice anywhere they made such a law that could work against them. That would tell you that hand of God is working in mysterious ways. How can a President of the Senate fail to know that he has enacted a law that disqualifies him from contesting for the Senate again if he failed a presidential bid? He made the law, he signed the law, but he is ignorant of the law. That is to tell you that God works in mysterious ways and His wonders to perform. I thank the National Assembly members for making themselves available to be used by God to enthrone equity and justice.
…Ven. Joseph Nweke, Anambra CAN chair
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