BY DAMILOLA ORIGBEMISUYI, Akure, FEMI OYEWESO, Abeokuta, ALO ABIOLA, Ado-Ekiti
Some chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West have reacted to the party’s defeat in last Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State. They expressed divergent views on the reasons for the party’s loss in the state, insisting, however, that the outcome should not necessarily be interpreted as a reflection of the party’s strength across the region.
The Ondo State chapter of the APC said there may be local factors responsible for the party’s defeat in the recently concluded Osun State governorship election.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adeyeluwa Muyideen, told LEADERSHIP that the performance of the incumbent governor could have influenced the decision of voters, stressing that political dynamics differ from one state to another.
He, however, cautioned against interpreting the Osun result as a reflection of the APC’s strength across the South-West, saying the state has its own peculiar political circumstances.
He further said the Osun defeat should not be attributed to the performance of President Bola Tinubu, noting that there could be state-specific reasons behind the outcome.
Muyideen said, “I believe that there may be many factors which are not open to us. But all that we know is that when a party is dominant in a particular place, there must be a reason for the incumbent, whoever that is, the governor in that place, to win. He may have performed to the credibility of the people in his area. That’s the general assumption.”
“Osun may have its own peculiarities. You know, the place has been complicated. So, we cannot measure what happened in Osun State as equal to that of other states in the Southwest.”
Muyideen also expressed confidence that the APC would retain its dominance in other states in the region ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“At the next presidential election, including the senatorial election, APC cannot lose. I’m very confident, I’m very convinced that there is no way they can defeat APC in any of these states,” he added.
On his part, the APC State Publicity Secretary in Ogun State, Hon. Femi Nuberu, said the party’s defeat in Osun reflects the electorate’s will.
Nuberu, who spoke with LEADERSHIP, said the outcome of the election means that the APC, at the national and state levels, must appraise the party’s position ahead of future elections.
“The election has been won and lost. The electorate have spoken through their voting pattern. I am sure the leadership of the party would appraise the situation as a guide for future elections.
“In the interim, INEC and the Presidency should be commended. However, the electorate have spoken their minds.”
Also, an APC chieftain in Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe, said Adeleke was re-elected because of his good performance in the last four years.
Awe, who is the Special Adviser to the Ekiti Governor on Political Matters and Inter-Party Affairs, said Adeleke was the clear choice of the people of Osun State.
The former APC Chairman in Ekiti State told LEADERSHIP, “The people of Osun State are satisfied with what Adeleke has done for them in terms of development. The people of the state have spoken and, up to now, there is no rancour.”
On the way forward for the party, he said, “That we lost the election does not mean the end of the day for us. We have to go back to the drawing board. We have to cut our teeth and dot our i’s. That should be the way forward for the party, right? We have to sit down and examine ourselves.
“What have we done that we shouldn’t have done? So, look at the areas you have to look at. Because there will always be another day.
