- Says poll a litmus test for 2027, urges opposition to unite against APC
Former Governor of Cross River State and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election, describing the outcome of the August 15 governorship election as a significant litmus test for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Duke, in a congratulatory statement signed by his Personal Assistant, Emeka Okparagu, on Sunday, said Adeleke’s victory demonstrated that the electorate could still make its choice through the ballot box.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, winner after he polled 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 445,815 votes.
Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
Duke said the result represented the will of the Osun electorate and congratulated Adeleke on securing another four-year mandate.
“The people of Osun spoke with their vote and Nigerians heard them loud and clear. The people rewarded Governor Adeleke for his commitment to serving his people,” he said.
The victory gives Adeleke a second term following his earlier breakthrough in the 2022 governorship election, when he defeated the then incumbent, Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, by 403,371 votes to 375,027.
The 2026 result therefore marks another decisive electoral victory for Adeleke, who has successfully defended his mandate against the APC in a state that has emerged as an important political battleground ahead of the 2027 elections.
Duke said the August 15 poll provided important lessons for the country, particularly on voter participation, electoral credibility and the ability of citizens to freely determine their political leadership.
Against the backdrop of the Osun result, Duke called on opposition politicians to set aside their differences, personal egos and individual ambitions and work together if they hope to defeat the ruling APC in 2027.
He said the opposition could only mount a credible challenge to the ruling party by building a broad-based political alliance anchored on a common purpose and the national interest.
Duke urged opposition leaders to look beyond their individual political ambitions and recognise that unity remained critical to changing the political balance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said opposition politicians must “sink their differences, ego and ambition” and come together, stressing that fragmentation would only strengthen the ruling party.
According to him, the lesson from Osun should not be limited to the victory of one candidate or party but should serve as a wake-up call to opposition forces seeking to present a credible alternative to Nigerians in 2027.
He maintained that opposition parties and politicians must be prepared to make sacrifices and compromise on personal ambitions in the larger interest of the country.
Duke also congratulated INEC for conducting what he described as a free and fair election, urging the electoral commission to build on the experience of the Osun poll and sustain Nigerians’ confidence in the electoral process.
According to him, public trust remains critical to the survival of democracy and the credibility of future elections.
The former governor equally commended voters across Osun State for exercising their franchise peacefully, describing the election as a triumph for democracy.
He said the ability of voters to freely express their preferences at the ballot box was essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Duke urged political actors and electoral stakeholders to draw lessons from the Osun election as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
He stressed that the ultimate strength of Nigeria’s democracy would depend on credible elections in which voters’ choices are respected and electoral institutions operate with transparency and independence.
He congratulated Adeleke once again, while urging the governor to regard his renewed mandate as a fresh responsibility to deliver inclusive development and good governance to all the people of Osun State, irrespective of how they voted.
(The Sun)