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…Warns Osun ex-Gov over selective narratives
From Ismail Omipidan, Abuja
The debate over which party between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the emerging opposition platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) possesses the electoral strength to win the 2027 presidential election has resurfaced once again. Interestingly, this time around, the argument is between two familiar political actors: the National Secretary of the ADC and former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and his now former political associate, Senator Mudashiru Husain.
Like Aregbesola, Senator Husain started his political career in Lagos before moving to Osun State, where he contested and won the Osun West senatorial election in 2011, defeating the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke. However, ahead of the 2014 governorship election, Adeleke defected to the then newly formed APC and was compensated with the party’s senatorial ticket, effectively displacing Husain. Following Adeleke’s death, Husain was reinstated as the APC candidate, but lost scandalously to the late Adeleke’s younger brother, Ademola Adeleke in the 2017 Osun West senatorial by-election. Ademola contested on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). This loss marked a turning point that led to a steady decline in the fortunes of the APC in Osun.
Since then, Aregbesola and Hussein had always been on the same page until June 2024, when the ex-lawmaker left the former Osun State Governor to rejoin the APC. It is, therefore, not surprising that the two gladiators are today disagreeing over the prospects of the APC and ADC respectively ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Last Tuesday, Aregbesola was among the dignitaries invited by former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to make donations at the launch of ‘The Loyalist’, a new book written by the ADC’s spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi. Fayemi served as the chief presenter at the event. Aregbesola seized the occasion to fire what could pass for a political missile at his former benefactor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying that the defection of governors to the APC would not save the president from defeat in the 2027 presidential election.
He warned both President Tinubu and the ruling party to stop deceiving themselves, thinking that they would win the 2027 presidential election with the number of governors that have joined them in the APC.
Providing background for this position, the immediate past minister of Interior noted that despite President Tinubu’s hold on Lagos State, he still lost in his ward, local government and eventually lost the state during the 2023 presidential election.
Hear him “I still want to say something more. Something is going on that is worrisome, especially for those of us who are Democrats or aspire to be general Democrats. The fact that certain governors are defecting to the APC shows that our unity (ADC leaders) is weakened. I laugh when people say because they have governors, they will election because recent statistics in Nigeria, based on the last election, do not support this belief.
“To puncture this argument that when you have governors with you, you are sure of victory, I’ll cite election results from two zones, South-West and South-East. In South-West, APC controlled all the states except one, Oyo State. The performance of that party in that election in the South-West was 55 per cent. Other parties took the rest. That’s not all.
“The safest state was Lagos. The APC candidate lost his ward, local government, and the state. How worse can it get? He lost Osun, where his nephew was governor in that election. So, where is the claim that governors win elections?
“APC had two states in the South-East. The result is amazing. APC had 5.8 per cent of the total votes of that election, while LP had 89.6 per cent. I will stop at that. The results from these two zones clearly tell us that governors don’t win elections. The people do. What we require from the oligopoly that is in charge of Nigeria and claiming to have taken over the space is to commit itself to free and fair elections, and we will see. What we require from the government in charge of the election is a commitment to a free and fair process. So, first, commit yourself to a free and fair election, and let us see what the result will be. That is what we are asking,” Aregbesola said.
Apparently miffed by Aregbesola’s disposition, one of his former associate and ex-lawmaker, who represented Osun West Senatorial District, Senator Mudashiru Husain, has reacted, faulting Aregbesola on the conduct and outcomes of the 2023 general elections.
He described Aregbesola’s position as selective in interpretating the scenarios, insisting that the narrative was far from the historical and practical realities of Nigeria’s political development.
Senator Husain said that while the sanctity of the people’s vote remains non-negotiable, it is intellectually dishonest to analyse outcomes of elections without taking into cognisance the roles played by leadership, structure, ideology, and long-term political organisation.
He further said that “Democracy thrives on the will of the people, but that will, is shaped, mobilised, and protected by credible political leadership. To suggest otherwise is to oversimplify a complex democratic process.
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“The progressive movement, which both of us were products of, was never built on spontaneous popularity but on years of grassroots engagement, policy-driven governance, and disciplined party organisation. These elements were central to electoral successes recorded across different levels of government over the years.
“National elections are decided by aggregate national confidence, not by fragmented local outcomes. Leadership at the centre is earned through vision, experience, and the ability to build broad coalitions across the country like our mentor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had led the tendency which produced us.
“Governors and political leaders do not merely ‘control’ votes, but play strategic roles in stabilising party systems, mobilising citizens, and sustaining democratic institutions which are roles that cannot be dismissed without undermining the very system that produced past electoral victories,” Senator Husain added.
While expressing concern that persistent public framing of elections in adversarial tones could weaken public trust in democratic institutions rather than strengthen them, especially when such arguments come from experienced actors who understand the inner workings of party politics, Husain noted that “Democracy is strengthened by consistency and responsibility in public discourse. Those who have benefitted from structured political systems owe it a duty to speak with balance and historical clarity.
“I, therefore, urge political leaders and commentators to avoid revisionist narratives and instead focus on deepening democratic culture through constructive engagement, institutional respect, and commitment to the collective political journey that has shaped modern governance in Nigeria.”
Daily Sun recalls that this is not the first time the two political parties will be making claims to electoral might. In the build up to the by-elections held across the country last August, many Nigerians had thought the ADC would seize the momentum to announce its electoral might over the APC.
But by the time the elections were won and lost, APC clinched 12 of the 16 legislative seats that were up for grabs across 12 states of the country.
Going by the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC won all seats that were contested for in Ogun, Edo, Niger, Kaduna, Taraba, Jigawa, Adamawa and Kogi states in the said by-elections. But it shared the two seats in Kano with the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), just as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in Anambra won the two seats that were up for grabs, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Oyo State also won the only seat that was contested for.
Explaining reasons for its performance at the time, the ADC in a statement by its spokesman, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “What Nigerians witnessed in (the) by-elections is yet another reminder that under the current administration, democracy itself, just like the economy and national security, continues to decline.
“When ballots are brazenly exchanged for money, the vote of the ordinary Nigerian ceases to have meaning,” he said. He also urged the president to rise above partisan interests and guarantee credible elections, saying that “No government can claim legitimacy if it consistently presides over fraudulent polls.”
But the APC on its part, sees the outcomes differently at the time. To them, the win, represents the endorsement of President Tinubu by those Nigerians who voted for the APC.
Speaking through its spokesman, Felix Morka, the party said “this win is yet another solid endorsement of President Bola Tinubu administration and its Renewed Hope Agenda designed to deliver, and now steadily delivering, transformation of our country’s economy and other sectors of our national life. Our hearty congratulations go to our victorious candidates across the country, and we charge them to reward their constituents with purposeful legislative interventions that translate the Renewed Hope Agenda to meaningful benefits for the people.
“We specially congratulate our National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, on this crucial first dominant victory under his eminent leadership as National Chairman. It is a strong pointer to greater things to come.
“The party applauds the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, for its successful conduct of the bye-elections, and hails all security agencies for maintaining peace and order, despite cases of election violence and voters’ suppression in some districts.
“Again, our deepest gratitude remains with the Nigerian electorate, and we urge all Nigerians to sustain their support for our great party and Mr. President as he continues to pave a clear and steady path of prosperity for this and future generations,” APC added.
