A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has described the outcome of the Osun State governorship election as a major warning signal for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Momodu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, argued that the election was not merely a defeat for the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, but a setback for President Bola Tinubu, whose name and political influence featured prominently in the party’s campaign.
According to him, the result has demonstrated that voters may be increasingly willing to separate their choice of candidates from presidential influence and party structures.
“Without any doubt whatsoever, he (Tinubu) lost,” Momodu said, questioning the political weight of Oyebamiji and former governor Gboyega Oyetola compared with the influence of the President.
He described Oyebamiji and Oyetola as “name droppers”, alleging that they relied heavily on Tinubu’s name during the campaign instead of building a sufficiently compelling independent appeal among voters.
For Momodu, the bigger implication of the Osun result lies beyond the state itself. He argued that the election could have altered calculations within the ruling party as political actors begin to assess the possibility of a similar voter mood spreading to other parts of the country in 2027.
“And the reason I would tell you is the fear of January 2027,” he said, arguing that the APC was concerned that the Osun outcome could send “a wrong signal” to voters across Nigeria.
He said the election had also reinforced the idea that voters could support candidates on the basis of perceived competence and local appeal, irrespective of whether such candidates enjoyed the backing of the incumbent president.
“In Osun today, people are saying whether the governor supports Tinubu or not, they would support their own preferred candidate based on merit,” Momodu said.
He also credited singer Davido with helping to amplify developments around the election through social media, saying the constant flow of information helped voters remain informed about the process.
Momodu further alleged that there were attempts to interfere with the collation of results, claiming that vote counting was temporarily halted at a critical stage.
The APC and its supporters may, however, view the Osun contest differently, particularly given the state-specific political dynamics that shaped the election.
But for the ADC chieftain, the significance of Osun lies in what it could represent nationally: a warning that presidential endorsement, party machinery and political influence may not automatically translate into electoral victory in 2027.
With the next general election approaching, the Osun result is therefore likely to become an important reference point in the battle over whether Nigeria’s 2027 contest will be driven primarily by party structures and incumbency or by candidates, local issues and voter sentiment.
Dele Momodu
