The National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dayo Israel, has identified President Bola Tinubu, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, and Afrobeats star David Adeleke (Davido) as the three personalities who most shaped the outcome of Saturday's Osun State governorship election. In a post on X on Sunday, Israel reflected on the result, in which Governor Adeleke, running under the Accord Party, secured a second term, defeating APC's Bola Oyebamiji with 511,067 votes to 444,815, across a field of 15 candidates.
Tinubu's Restraint Praised
Israel commended President Tinubu for not deploying federal instruments to sway the contest in the APC's favour, drawing parallels with other off-cycle elections in Anambra and Bayelsa, where opposition parties also retained power. 'President Tinubu may have lost Osun for the APC, but he won something larger for Nigeria: another opportunity to demonstrate that the vote of the Nigerian people must matter,' Israel wrote. He described the president's approach as statesmanship, showing a commitment to democracy that transcends party interest, according to PremiumTimes reports.
Adeleke's Grassroots Bond
Israel argued that Governor Adeleke's public persona, often ridiculed by political opponents, was a key political asset. He said the governor's dancing, accessibility, and visible community presence forged an emotional connection with ordinary voters that proved more resilient than elite endorsements. 'Governor Adeleke's dancing was never a weakness. It was a political language,' Israel wrote, adding that it 'humanised him, made him accessible, and created emotional proximity with ordinary voters.'
Israel cautioned the APC against mistaking elite acceptance for genuine voter support, noting that dominance in Abuja political discourse does not automatically translate into ward-level victories. He pointed out that the party's National Youth Wing was not meaningfully engaged in the campaign, criticising what he called an institutional culture of sidelining the party's own structures in favour of temporary arrangements during elections.
Davido's Role With Young Voters
On Davido, Israel said the singer went beyond mere celebrity appearances, actively mobilising young people for the governor's campaign through his music, digital reach, and personal influence. 'He brought artistes, influencers and young voices into the process,' Israel wrote, contrasting this with what he described as the APC's over-reliance on a structure built around governors, senators, and former office holders.
Israel said some of the weaknesses that cost the APC the 2022 Osun election had resurfaced, and he called for an honest review of the party's mobilisation approach before the 2027 general elections. 'The Osun governorship election has been won and lost,' he wrote. 'That margin is substantial enough to demand honest reflection, not excuses, blame shifting or the familiar ritual of assembling another committee whose report may never change how we campaign.'
Governor Adeleke's victory marked his second consecutive win over the APC in Osun, following his first-term success in 2022 as the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, when he defeated then-governor Adegboyega Oyetola. Previously, Legit.ng reported that Davido had spoken out after reports emerged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allegedly directed restrictions on an Osun State Government account reportedly used for paying workers' salaries, a development that became a major talking point after documents cited in reports claimed the account had been placed on a 'Post No Debit' status.
