ADELEKE’S RE-ELECTION DISPROVES ONE-PARTY STATE CLAIMS, SAYS EX-LAGOS APC SPOKESMAN
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AGENCY REPORT
A former All Progressives Congress spokesman in Lagos State, Seye Oladejo, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Osun State as a victory for democracy and a setback to claims that Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party state.
Oladejo, in a statement issued on Monday, said Adeleke’s victory demonstrated the resilience and competitiveness of Nigeria’s democratic system.
He argued that democracy should not be measured by how frequently the ruling party wins elections, but by whether citizens retain the freedom to choose their leaders and whether their choices are respected.
According to him, Adeleke’s victory went beyond the candidate, political party or state, as it showed that voters could still produce unexpected electoral outcomes.
Oladejo said the growing movement of politicians across party lines and defections into the APC had fuelled concerns about the future of opposition politics. However, he described the Osun election as a “useful reality check” to such concerns.
He said if Nigeria were truly moving inevitably towards a one-party state, an incumbent governor contesting under an opposition platform and securing re-election would hardly demonstrate a vibrant and competitive political environment.
Oladejo stressed that the outcome had also challenged the perception that the APC’s growing political strength automatically translated into dominance across all electoral spaces.
He noted that political parties could win in some areas and lose in others, describing such outcomes as a normal feature of competitive democracy.
“There is nothing in democracy called the ‘invincibility of the ruling party.’ Absolutely nothing,” Oladejo said, stressing that no political party, regardless of its structure, resources, influence or incumbency, possessed a permanent guarantee of electoral victory.
He urged political parties, including the APC, to avoid complacency and approach every election as a fresh contest requiring renewed efforts to win voters’ support.
Oladejo also said the electorate should not be regarded as politically predictable, noting that voters could make different choices based on candidates’ performance and prevailing circumstances.
“An election is not an inheritance. It is a fresh contract,” he said.
The former APC spokesman commended President Bola Tinubu for reportedly accepting Adeleke’s victory and congratulating him, describing the gesture as an indication of democratic maturity.
He said democratic credentials were tested not only when a candidate wins but also when leaders accept the people’s verdict when their preferred candidate loses.
Oladejo, however, said Adeleke’s renewed mandate came with the responsibility to deliver improved governance and development to the people of Osun State.
He urged the governor to prioritise infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, job creation and economic opportunities during his second term.
“An electoral victory is not the destination. It is permission to govern,” he said.
Oladejo said the Osun election could provide important lessons ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly by demonstrating that Nigeria’s political space remained competitive.
He added that the outcome should remind politicians that voters could not be permanently owned or taken for granted.
“The deeper lesson is that the ballot remains bigger than the party, the voter remains bigger than the politician, and democracy remains bigger than whoever happens to be in power,” he said.
He maintained that Adeleke’s victory was not merely an Osun development but a national reminder that every political mandate must be earned and that voters ultimately have the final say.
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