The opposition Action Peoples Party (APP) has described the just-concluded Osun State governorship election as a major boost to Nigeria’s democratic development, saying the exercise demonstrated that credible elections are possible when electoral institutions are allowed to operate independently.

The National Chairman of the party, High Chief Uchenna Nnadi, made the declaration at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, where he commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies and the people of Osun State for their roles in the conduct of the poll.

Nnadi said the significance of the election went beyond the victory or defeat of individual political parties and candidates, arguing that the real test of an election was whether voters were given a genuine opportunity to determine who governs them through their ballots.

He described the Osun election as “a victory for democracy,” saying the outcome had strengthened public confidence in the electoral process and should serve as a foundation for improving future elections.

“While no election is perfect, and there will always be areas requiring improvement, the overall conduct of the Osun election provides encouraging evidence that Nigeria’s electoral process can continue to evolve towards greater credibility, transparency and acceptance,” Nnadi said.

The APP chairman particularly commended Amupitan, saying his leadership during the election demonstrated the importance of courage, independence and integrity in electoral management.

He said INEC should function as an impartial referee rather than an institution that determines electoral winners, adding that its responsibility was to create an environment in which citizens could freely choose their leaders and have their votes counted.

Nnadi described Amupitan as “a new democratic hero,” but urged him not to rest on the achievement, stressing the need to institutionalise the lessons from the Osun election across subsequent electoral exercises.

According to him, the ultimate challenge before INEC is to ensure that the credibility associated with the Osun poll becomes a permanent feature of Nigeria’s electoral system.

The APP also praised President Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s provision of a level playing field for political parties during the election.

Nnadi said democracy demanded more than the periodic conduct of elections, arguing that political leaders must demonstrate sufficient maturity to allow citizens to freely choose their leaders even when the outcome might not favour the governing party.

“He allowed the electoral process to take its course. He allowed INEC to operate with the necessary independence. He allowed political parties to compete. And, most importantly, he demonstrated that the Federal Government can permit a genuinely competitive electoral process without seeking to predetermine the outcome,” he said.

Nnadi said the development was particularly significant as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, urging Tinubu to sustain what he called the democratic precedent established in Osun.

He argued that the electorate must remain the ultimate source of political power, adding that if the Federal Government could provide such an environment in Osun, there would be no reason the 2027 elections could not be conducted to an even higher democratic standard.

The party also commended the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies for their roles in securing the election.

Nnadi stressed that credible elections could not take place in an atmosphere where voters were afraid, electoral officials were threatened, materials could not move freely or political actors were allowed to intimidate opponents.

“Security is therefore not an incidental component of an election. It is fundamental to the credibility of the entire democratic process,” he said.

He urged security agencies to maintain professionalism, neutrality and restraint in subsequent elections, particularly as the country approaches the politically sensitive 2027 general elections.

The APP congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his electoral victory and urged him to regard the outcome as the beginning of a greater responsibility to the entire people of Osun State.

Nnadi urged Adeleke to govern without discrimination and extend the benefits of government to both supporters and opponents.

“In a democracy, an election ends the contest but begins the responsibility to govern,” he said.

Despite its strong commendation of the Osun election, the APP cautioned against declaring the exercise flawless.

Nnadi called on INEC to conduct a comprehensive post-election review involving political parties and other stakeholders. He said the review should examine electoral materials management, voter accreditation, results management, collation procedures, communication with political parties and the deployment of technology.

He also stressed the need for electoral rules and regulations to be applied consistently and impartially to all political parties and candidates.

“The credibility of an election is not merely about what happens on election day. It is about the entire electoral cycle,” he said.

The party said perhaps the most consequential lesson from the Osun election was its implication for the 2027 general elections, warning that the next polls would be closely watched by Nigerians and the international community.

Nnadi said if political parties could compete freely, INEC could operate independently, the Federal Government could provide a level playing field, security agencies could remain professional and voters could cast their ballots without intimidation, Nigeria would have no excuse for failing to conduct credible elections.

“Osun must not be an exception. Osun must become the benchmark,” he declared.

The APP consequently called on INEC to build on the Osun experience, the Federal Government to sustain the principle of non-interference, security agencies to maintain neutrality and professionalism, and political parties to respect democratic rules.

It also urged Nigerians to defend their votes and reject violence, intimidation and electoral manipulation.

Nnadi said political parties themselves must also shoulder responsibility for strengthening democracy, noting that parties could not demand credible national elections while tolerating undemocratic practices within their own organisations.

“The sanctity of the ballot must begin with the internal democracy of political parties,” he said, calling for transparent processes for selecting candidates and resolving political disputes.

He said the APP remained committed to democratic participation, accountability, constitutionalism and the rule of law.

Nnadi also urged Nigerians not to lose faith in democracy despite the challenges confronting the political system, arguing that every improvement in the credibility of elections strengthened the country’s democratic foundation.

“Every time an election is conducted more credibly than the one before it, our democracy becomes stronger,” he said.

He added that every time a political leader accepted the will of the people, an electoral umpire protected the integrity of the ballot, security agencies protected voters and citizens insisted that their votes must count, Nigeria’s democracy became stronger.

Nnadi said the significance of the Osun election extended beyond the state, candidates and political parties involved.

“That is why the Osun election matters. It is bigger than one state. It is bigger than one political party. It is bigger than one candidate,” he said.

“It is about whether Nigerians can continue to believe that their votes can determine who governs them.”

The APP pledged to support legitimate institutional efforts aimed at making the 2027 elections more credible, transparent and inclusive.

The party said the Osun experience had shown what was possible when institutions, political actors and citizens played their respective roles in protecting the ballot.

“Osun has shown us what is possible. Now, Nigeria must build on it. The 2027 elections must be conducted with an even higher standard of transparency, neutrality, professionalism and respect for the will of the people. This is not about APC. This is not about APP. This is not about PDP, ACCORD, ADC or any other political party. This is about Nigeria. A victory for the people. A victory for democracy. A victory for Nigeria,” the party said.