‘Governors don’t win elections, people do’, Aregbesola tells Tinubu

Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against assuming that governors can single-handedly determine election outcomes.

He emphasized that electoral victories ultimately rest with the people, not political office holders.

Aregbesola made the remarks on Monday in Abuja during the launch of ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi’s memoir, The Loyalist.

Speaking on the subject of governance and electoral credibility, he insisted that recent election results in Nigeria show that governors do not have the power to override the people’s will.

“Governors do not win elections, the people do,” he said. “What we require from the government overseeing the election is a commitment to a free and fair process. So first, commit yourself to a free and fair election, and let us see what the result will be. That’s what we’re asking.”

Aregbesola referenced the 2023 elections in Nigeria’s South West and South East regions to underscore his point. He noted that despite the APC controlling almost all states in the South West, the party secured a maximum of 55% of the vote in that election, with other parties sharing the remaining votes.

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“The same applied in Lagos,” he said. “The APC candidate lost his ward, local government, and state. So please, for goodness’ sake, where is it claimed that governors win elections against the people’s will?”

He further highlighted the South East, where the APC reportedly obtained only 5.8% of the total vote from the zone.

“The results of these two zones clearly show that governors do not win elections, the people do,” Aregbesola asserted.

The former governor also expressed concern about the wave of defections to the APC, including the defection of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and several governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He described the trend as worrying for democrats, arguing that it weakens unity among opposition parties.

“Something is going on that is worrisome, especially for those of us who are Democrats,” he said. “The fact that certain governors are defecting to the APC shows that our unity is weakened. I laugh because recent statistics in Nigeria, based on the last election, do not support this belief.”

Aregbesola urged APC leaders to prioritise credibility ahead of the 2027 elections, stressing the need for a transparent electoral process.

“Commit to a free and fair electoral process. We will then see if it is true that governors win elections,” he said.

His remarks come at a time of increasing political realignment in Nigeria, with growing concerns about the integrity of future elections and the role of incumbents in shaping outcomes.