… Pass Confidence Vote on Amupitan

 

The outcome of the 2026 Osun State governorship election has raised the stakes for the 2027 general elections, with opposition political parties, ethnic youth organisations and civil society groups challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replicate what they described as the credible and competitive standard witnessed in the state.

The groups, comprising the Action Peoples Party (APP), PBAT Door-2-Door Movement, African Centre for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR), Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Ohanaeze youth movement, Middle Belt Youth Forum and Oduduwa Consultative Youth Movement, also passed a vote of confidence in Tinubu, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, and heads of the nation’s security agencies.

They described the Osun election as an important test of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, arguing that its outcome demonstrated that political power could change hands through the ballot when voters were allowed to freely exercise their franchise.

INEC declared incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party winner with 511,067 votes against 444,815 votes scored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while the APC secured 11.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, APP National Chairman, High Chief Uchenna Nnadi, who addressed the gathering on behalf of the groups, said the Osun experience had provided an opportunity for Nigeria to rebuild public confidence in its electoral system.

He said the real measure of an election should not be the identity of the winner but whether citizens were given a genuine opportunity to determine their leaders through the ballot. The groups consequently urged the Federal Government and INEC to treat Osun not as an isolated achievement but as a foundation for a more credible 2027 election.

According to them, the conduct of the poll placed an additional responsibility on Tinubu to demonstrate that the Federal Government could provide a level playing field even when the outcome might not favour the ruling party. They commended the President for what they described as his willingness to allow the electoral process to run its course.

The groups also commended Amupitan, describing him as a “new democratic hero” whose performance in Osun had strengthened confidence in INEC. They urged the commission to consolidate the gains of the election and strengthen its operational standards ahead of 2027.

They called for a comprehensive post-election review covering logistics, voter accreditation, technology, results management, collation, communication with political parties and deployment of electoral officials, stressing that weaknesses identified in Osun must be corrected before the national poll.

The security agencies also received commendation for maintaining peace and protecting voters, electoral officials and materials. The groups specifically praised the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army and Department of State Services, while urging them to maintain neutrality, restraint and professionalism in 2027.

They warned that no electoral reform could succeed if voters remained afraid to exercise their rights, calling for stronger mechanisms to prosecute electoral offences and hold perpetrators of violence and other violations accountable.

The groups also urged political parties to improve their internal democratic structures, arguing that parties demanding credible national elections must demonstrate the same commitment through transparent candidate-selection processes.

They congratulated Adeleke on his victory and urged him to use the mandate to unite Osun and provide effective governance, rather than engage in political retaliation against opponents.
But beyond Osun, the groups said the major question was whether Nigeria could sustain the momentum into 2027.

They argued that the general election would provide the ultimate test of whether the lessons of Osun could be replicated nationwide.
“If political parties can compete, if INEC can operate independently, if the Federal Government can provide a level playing field, if security agencies can remain professional, if voters can cast their ballots without intimidation, and if the outcome can reflect the will of the electorate, then Nigeria has demonstrated that credible elections are possible,” they said.

The groups declared: “Osun must not be an exception. Osun must become the benchmark,” urging Tinubu, INEC, security agencies, political parties and Nigerians to sustain the lessons of the election and work towards a credible, peaceful and transparent 2027 electoral process.