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A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress and former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Osun State as a victory for the electorate.
Okonkwo, in a statement on Sunday following the August 15 governorship election, said the result demonstrated that “the power of the people will always be greater than the people in power.”
“Congratulations to HE Gov Ademola Adeleke on his victory as the re-elected governor of Osun State. This is a testimony that the power of the people will always be greater than the people in power. The victory is a victory for Osun people,” he said.
However, Okonkwo warned opposition parties against interpreting the Osun result as a reason to relax ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said the outcome should instead prompt them to intensify preparations for what he described as a difficult electoral contest.
“Whenever the opposition wins Osun State, it triggers a panic mode in APC and makes them prepare to win the general elections by all means,” he said.
Reflecting on previous elections, Okonkwo recalled the 2022 Osun governorship poll, which produced Adeleke as governor, and criticised the conduct of the 2023 general election.
“Prof Mahmood’s INEC organised good guber election in Osun in 2022 that brought Adeleke 1.0 to power, only to bungle the general election in 2023 with a technical glitch,” he stated.
He urged opposition parties and their leaders to remain vigilant, arguing that Saturday’s outcome should not be taken as evidence that future elections would automatically meet their expectations.
“The victory of the opposition in Osun is applaudable but it should ring an alarm bell in the ears of all opposition parties and opposition leaders to prepare against the fierce electoral battle in 2027,” Okonkwo said.
The ADC chieftain also alleged that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress would deploy every available political strategy to retain power in 2027.
“President Tinubu, who believes that all is fair in politics, will certainly attempt to grab the presidential election, snatch it, and run away with it,” he added.
Okonkwo called on Nigerians to maintain pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that opposition parties should not lower their guard following the Osun result. He said Nigerians must demand a free, fair and credible election in 2027.
