Adeleke’s win disproves one-party state claim, says ex-Lagos APC spokesman

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A former APC spokesman in Lagos State, Mr Seye Oladejo, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Osun as a triumph for democracy.

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Oladejo said the outcome had also defeated the growing narrative that Nigeria was inevitably drifting toward a one-party state.

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He stated this in a statement released on Monday, saying Adeleke’s victory demonstrated the resilience and competitiveness of Nigeria’s democratic space.

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“Democracy is not measured by how often the ruling party wins elections.

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“It is measured by whether the people retain the freedom to choose who governs them-and whether that choice is respected,” he said.

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Oladejo said Adeleke’s victory was bigger than the success of an individual candidate, political party or state.

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According to him, the result demonstrated that the electorate could not be permanently taken for granted and that the ballot box has the capacity to produce unexpected outcomes.

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“The re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun State is therefore much bigger than the victory of one candidate, one political party or one state.

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“It is a significant statement about the resilience of Nigeria’s democracy and, importantly, a powerful rebuttal to the increasingly fashionable narrative that Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party state,” he said.

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He said the movement of politicians across party lines and defections into the ruling APC had generated concerns about the future of opposition politics.

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Oladejo, however, said the Osun election had provided what he described as a “useful reality check” to such concerns.

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“If Nigeria were indeed inexorably marching towards a one-party state, an incumbent governor contesting under a platform outside the ruling party and securing re-election would hardly be the most compelling evidence of a vibrant opposition space.

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“Yet, the electorate had the final word. This is the beauty of democracy,” he said.

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Oladejo said the result had punctured the perception that the APC’s growing political strength automatically translated into control of every electoral space.

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He said political parties could win elections in some areas and lose in others, adding that such developments were features of competitive democracy.

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Oladejo said there was nothing in democracy called the “invincibility of the ruling party”, stressing that no political party possessed a permanent certificate of victory.

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“There is nothing in democracy called the ‘invincibility of the ruling party.’ Absolutely nothing.

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“No ruling party, regardless of its structure, influence, resources, incumbency or political pedigree, possesses a permanent certificate of victory,” Oladejo said.

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According to him, political fortunes change, circumstances change, candidates change and alliances change, while voters ultimately retain the power to make their choices.

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He urged political parties, including the APC, to avoid complacency and approach every election as a fresh contest requiring renewed efforts to earn voters’ support.

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Oladejo said the electorate should not be treated as politically predictable, noting that voters could make different choices based on candidates, performance and prevailing circumstances.

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“An election is not an inheritance. It is a fresh contract,” he said.

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The APC chieftain said President Bola Tinubu’s democratic credentials should also be assessed by how elections were conducted when outcomes did not favour his party.

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He said the President’s reported acceptance of Adeleke’s victory and congratulatory gesture deserved recognition as evidence of democratic maturity.

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“Democracy is not only about celebrating when your candidate wins. It is also about accepting the verdict of the people when your candidate loses.

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“That is where democratic credentials are truly tested,” Oladejo said.

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He said leaders must rise above narrow partisan interests and ensure an environment where Nigerians could freely choose their leaders.

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“If APC wins, it should win because Nigerians voted for it.

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“If APC loses, the result should still be respected because the same Nigerians have spoken. That is how democracy matures,” he said.

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Oladejo, however, said Adeleke’s renewed mandate came with the responsibility to deliver improved governance and development to the people of Osun.

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He urged the governor to focus on infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, job creation and economic opportunities during his second term.

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“An electoral victory is not the destination. It is permission to govern,” he said.

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Oladejo said the Osun election could prove instructive ahead of the 2027 general elections by demonstrating that Nigeria’s political space remained open and competitive.

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He said the outcome should remind politicians that voters could not be permanently owned or taken for granted.

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“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.

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“The myth of an inevitable one-party state has suffered a significant blow,” he said.

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Oladejo said Adeleke’s victory was therefore not merely an Osun story, but a national democratic reminder that every mandate must be earned.

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“Nigeria’s democracy remains capable of producing surprises. There is no such thing as the ‘invincibility of the ruling party.’

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“Absolutely nothing can be taken for granted. In democracy, every election is a new contest, every mandate must be earned and the people always have the final word,” he said.

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(NAN)

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