Cites extensive campaign efforts

Following the outcome of the August 15 Osun State governorship election, a political group, the Osun Renewal Drive, has cautioned against making former Governor Gboyega Oyetola a scapegoat for the All Progressives Congress (APC) loss.

In a statement signed by the group’s President, ‘Tunde Oyetola (Gaaji), and Director of Media, Olalekan Oni, the group argued that Oyetola deserves recognition and commendation rather than post-election condemnation for his leadership role throughout the campaign.

The group noted that blame games, criticism, and intense scrutiny are natural occurrences for political parties after an electoral loss, contrasting it with how identical strategies are celebrated when a party emerges victorious.

Addressing the APC’s performance in the poll, which saw incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke secure re-election, the group emphasised that Oyetola led a comprehensive mobilisation drive across the state’s 30 local councils and the Ife East Area Office.

“Oyetola should not be made the scapegoat for the APC’s loss. He led one of the most extensive mobilisation efforts ever undertaken by the APC across the state. The APC did not sit back and expect victory to happen,” the statement read.

Comparing political outcomes to sports, the group highlighted how success alters narratives, observing that critics often evaluate campaign structures, reconciliation efforts, and strategy strictly through the lens of the final result rather than the work invested.

“Leadership comes with responsibility, but responsibility should not automatically become blame. Accountability must be distinguished from condemnation. Oyetola led, he mobilised, he engaged, he reconciled, and he gave the assignment his best,” the group stated.

While acknowledging that the APC must conduct an honest post-mortem to identify its operational shortcomings and learn lessons for future electoral contests, the Osun Renewal Drive urged party members and stakeholders to resist the temptation to attribute the collective failure to a single individual.