Rather than mourn its defeat in the Osun governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) should treat the result as a political wake-up call and blueprint for reclaiming the South-West in 2027, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has said.
Bamidele, in his post-election assessment on Monday, acknowledged Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory but said the more important question for the APC was what it would do with the lessons exposed by the election.
He urged the party to resist the temptation to dismiss the outcome as a one-off defeat, arguing that the election had provided the APC with valuable insight into voter behaviour, turnout and the changing dynamics of South-West politics.
‘The people have spoken’
Bamidele said the result had once again demonstrated that the electorate remained the ultimate authority in a democracy.
He urged all candidates to accept the outcome and put the election behind them, while calling on Adeleke to use his victory to reunite a state divided by partisan politics.
“Governance entails a collective approach that must not exclude any section of the state,” he said.
The Senate Leader urged the governor to reach across party lines and work with his former opponents to build a more inclusive Osun.
In an unusual post-election appeal, Bamidele asked the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, to personally congratulate Adeleke and offer him constructive policy suggestions.
He said the APC should not regard Adeleke’s victory as an outright defeat, recalling that the governor was formerly a member of the party and had remained supportive of President Bola Tinubu.
“For me, the APC did not lose the election,” Bamidele declared.
“Governor Adeleke’s re-election, therefore, is not just the victory for ACCORD, but also for us in the APC.”
The statement effectively reframed the Osun contest from a simple APC-versus-opposition defeat into an opportunity for political reconciliation and strategic realignment.
But beneath the congratulatory message was a more urgent warning.
Bamidele drew attention to the 51.57 per cent voter turnout, arguing that the figure offered the APC a critical indication of what could happen in 2027 if voter participation continues to rise.
His response was not to fear the turnout, but to capture it.
He said the party should aim for at least 60 per cent voter turnout across the South-West in 2027, with a more ambitious target of 10 million votes for President Tinubu in the region.
That, he said, would require the APC to fundamentally change the way it engages voters.
Bamidele called for a comprehensive overhaul of the party’s campaign strategy, insisting that the APC could no longer afford to rely primarily on conventional political mobilisation.
He demanded deeper engagement with artisans, traders, farmers, entrepreneurs, youths, women, labour unions, civil society groups, community leaders, traditional rulers and the private sector.
The message was unmistakable: the APC must reconnect with the electorate before 2027.
“Our engagement approach, more than any time in our recent history, must be all-encompassing, and it must not leave any person or interest behind,” he said.
He urged party members to communicate more effectively what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration, particularly its economic reforms, security efforts, fiscal policies and democratic reforms.
While congratulating Adeleke, Bamidele cautioned that victory at the polls was only the beginning.
He said the governor now carried the responsibility of transforming electoral goodwill into inclusive governance and development.
“The decision of the majority does not only confirm the re-election of Governor Adeleke. It equally places the burden of victory on the elected candidate,” he said.
He called on Adeleke to use the mandate to bridge Osun’s political divisions and build a government that serves supporters and opponents alike.
Bamidele also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the Osun election as successfully conducted and saying its outcome was clear.
His praise for the electoral commission comes as political parties increasingly scrutinise preparations for the 2027 elections.
He said the APC and other political actors should accept the verdict of the electorate where elections are conducted credibly.
For Bamidele, however, the most consequential part of his message was directed inward — at his own party.
He urged APC members not to interpret the Osun result as a verdict on their political relevance.
“We have competed with courage, ideas and vigour, but the people decided otherwise,” he said.
“The outcome of this election does not make us a loser, but indeed a true stakeholder in the progress and posterity of Osun State.”
His message, ultimately, was less about defending yesterday’s defeat than preparing for tomorrow’s battle.
Osun has spoken. Bamidele wants the APC to listen — and act before 2027.