Good governance not Tinubu gave Adeleke victory –Atoyebi

By Sunday Ani

Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG) and political analyst, Bamidele Atoyebi, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the recent Osun State governorship election was driven by good governance and grassroots acceptance rather than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s influence.

Atoyebi, while analysing the outcome of the election, said the result should serve as a lesson to the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly its leadership in Osun State, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He congratulated Adeleke on his victory, arguing that Osun voters had consistently rewarded incumbent governors and governing parties when they were satisfied with their performance.

According to him, politicians cannot rely on the name or influence of the President to win elections without demonstrating tangible achievements at the grassroots.

“You cannot name-drop the President to victory; better go and give your people good governance,” he said.

Atoyebi recalled the long-running political contest between Adeleke and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, noting that both had contested against each other in the 2018 and 2022 governorship elections, with Adeleke emerging victorious in 2022.

He also pointed out that Adeleke had previously delivered Osun for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the presidential and National Assembly elections, despite Tinubu being a fellow Yoruba from the South-West.

He said the voting pattern showed that Osun voters were primarily concerned about their immediate political interests and the performance of the state government, rather than ethnic affiliation or loyalty to the President.

Atoyebi cited the political fortunes of figures including Nuhu Ribadu, Rauf Aregbesola and Oyetola in previous elections as further evidence of the changing political preferences of Osun voters.

The political analyst also faulted the APC leadership in Osun for what he described as a failure to strategically manage its relationship with Adeleke after he became governor.

He alleged that Adeleke had, at some point, expressed interest in joining the APC but was frustrated by party leaders, claiming that some of his allies, including Senator Francis Fadahunsi, were allegedly encouraged to defect ahead of him.

Atoyebi described the development as a major strategic error, arguing that the APC could have negotiated Adeleke’s entry into the party in a manner that would have served the interests of both sides.

“If Oyetola wanted a second term and Adeleke expressed a desire to join, the best approach would have been, ‘I will support you to join us, my brother, if you will support my second term in return,’” he said.

He argued that instead of exploring such an arrangement, the APC opted to field another candidate, a decision he said could have created a prolonged political setback for the party.

Atoyebi also condemned the violence, destruction of campaign billboards, alleged attacks, account freezing and other controversies surrounding the election, describing them as signs of “vindictive, archaic and non-democratic politics.”

He urged politicians to embrace modern approaches centred on human capital development, grassroots empowerment, infrastructure and other interventions capable of improving the lives of citizens.

According to him, financial inducements and last-minute vote-buying will increasingly lose their effectiveness as voters become more conscious of governance and political performance.

He advised political parties and candidates to build trust with voters long before election day instead of relying on financial inducements during campaigns.

Atoyebi, however, praised Tinubu for what he described as his decision to distance himself from electoral manipulation, particularly his reported directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during the Osun election period.

He described the President as a “refined democrat” and said the outcome of the election represented a victory for democracy, the people of Osun State and progressive politicians.

He nevertheless warned that the APC must urgently address its internal democratic challenges ahead of 2027.

Atoyebi said the APC primary that produced its Osun governorship candidate was widely perceived as an imposition, warning that excessive concentration of power and the imposition of unpopular candidates could cost the party key seats in the next general elections.

“This is our major fear for 2027 that the APC could lose key seats if corrective measures are not taken,” he said.

He urged APC leaders to mend fences, resolve internal grievances and prioritise competent and popular candidates if the party hopes to retain the presidency while consolidating its control of the National Assembly and state governorships.

Atoyebi concluded that governors and party leaders must prioritise genuine reconciliation and people-oriented governance rather than relying on the influence or name of the President to secure electoral victories.