“APC leaders falling on one another to own Adeleke’s victory” – Columnist
*As Nigerians express shock over Osun Gov’s declaration of support for Tinubu’s re-election
By KEMI KASUMU
Drawing lessons from historical alliances involving figures such as Nabis of Sparta and the Romans, as well as Pyrrhus of Epirus, Olagunju warned the Osun victory camp against surrendering its political independence merely because of post-election overtures.
The outcome of Saturday August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election has triggered fresh political calculations, with some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly seeking to associate themselves with Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory after a fiercely contested campaign.
In his latest Monday Lines column, published by the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, August 17, 2026, columnist Lasisi Olagunju described Adeleke’s victory as a striking demonstration of the limits of federal power and the capacity of determined voters to resist overwhelming political machinery.
This came as some Nigerians who read the statement attributed to the governor and winner of the keenly contested governorship election expressed surprise that his first major political declaration after the victory was to pledge loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and promise to mobilise greater support for his re-election in 2027.
This, according to them, is despite the fact that Adeleke’s victory was widely seen as a result of voters standing firmly by their ballots and defending his mandate against the intimidating political presence of the President’s emissaries and All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, National Assembly leaders, party chieftains and unprecedented deployment of heavy security agents.
In the piece titled “Adeleke and his Saturday bulldozer”, Olagunju said, “APC leaders are falling over one another to own Ademola Adeleke’s victory — the same people who, barely 24 hours earlier, fired missiles to bring down his plane. They now say he had all along been their preferred candidate. Since when did the hawk and the chicken become playmates? Ẹyẹ ń bá ẹyẹ ṣeré, ẹyẹ ń tu ìyẹ́ ẹyẹ. One bird claims to be playing with another while quietly plucking its feathers. How warmly should the saved, fresh from the gallows, embrace the executioner whose rope just failed?”
He recalled that during the Arise News TV/Nigerian Tribune Town Hall meeting for governorship candidates held the previous week, Adeleke had described himself as a “bulldozer” and promised to confront the APC’s formidable political structure.
According to the columnist, Saturday’s election vindicated Adeleke’s confidence as voters rallied behind him and defeated the political machinery deployed against him.
Adeleke, who contested under the Accord platform, secured 511,067 votes, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes, according to the results declared the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Lasisi Olagunju likened the outcome to the classic contest between an apparently weaker force and a more powerful adversary, arguing that the election demonstrated how strategy, organisation and popular support can overcome superior political resources.
He also described the election as a demonstration of “people power”, arguing that democracy ultimately depends on citizens exercising their collective political authority rather than allowing political elites to determine electoral outcomes.
However, the columnist expressed concern over the violence and institutional pressures associated with the election, warning that the damage inflicted on democratic institutions could outlast the immediate political victory.
He identified the rule of law, neutrality of state institutions, citizens’ freedom to vote without fear, peaceful competition, tolerance of opposition and acceptance of electoral defeat as essential pillars of democracy.
According to him, the greatest question arising from the Osun election should not merely be who won or lost, but what remains of Nigeria’s democratic institutions after the intense political battle.
“Democracy is supposed to renew democracy,” he argued, warning that violent campaigns and excessive political desperation could instead weaken the institutions democracy depends upon.
Like many Nigerians have done, Olagunju further examined the political implications of Adeleke’s victory, particularly his Sunday August 16, 2026 declaration endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.
The columnist noted that the endorsement could produce an unexpected political realignment, given that the APC had been Adeleke’s principal opponent in the Osun contest.
He cautioned, however, that political alliances formed after an electoral battle could carry their own risks, noting that yesterday’s adversary could become today’s ally and potentially return as tomorrow’s opponent.
Drawing lessons from historical alliances involving figures such as Nabis of Sparta and the Romans, as well as Pyrrhus of Epirus, Olagunju warned the Osun victory camp against surrendering its political independence merely because of post-election overtures.
He also urged those who lost the election not to regard defeat as permanent, arguing that democratic politics provides opportunities for political actors to rebuild, rethink their strategies and return stronger.
The columnist concluded that Adeleke’s greatest challenge would begin after the election victory.
According to him, the political machinery that successfully delivered victory at the polls cannot automatically serve as the instrument of governance.
“Action Jackson drove his bulldozer through Saturday with remarkable success,” Olagunju wrote. “His harder assignment is to know where to park it and what to do with the cleared field.”
He urged the governor to use the victory to strengthen democratic institutions and deliver effective governance rather than allowing the triumph to become another source of political conflict.
