Osun Poll: Credible Elections Possible Under Independent INEC- APP

The Action Peoples Party (APP) has described the just-concluded Osun State governorship election as a major boost to Nigeria’s democratic development, declaring that the exercise has demonstrated that credible elections are possible when electoral institutions are allowed to operate independently.

The party, in a strongly worded assessment of the election, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies and, most importantly, the people of Osun State for what it described as their contributions to the successful conduct of the poll.

The APP National Chairman,  Uchenna Nnadi, who made the position known at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, said the significance of the election went beyond the victory or defeat of individual political parties and candidates.

According to him, the real test of an election was whether voters were given a genuine opportunity to determine who governs them through their ballots.

Nnadi said the Osun election had strengthened public confidence in the electoral process, describing it as “a victory for democracy” and urging stakeholders to ensure that the standards witnessed in the state were not allowed to become an isolated experience.

“We, therefore, approach this election not merely from the narrow perspective of partisan victory or defeat, but from the broader and more important perspective of what the election represents for Nigerian democracy.

“While no election is perfect, and there will always be areas requiring improvement, the overall conduct of the Osun election provides encouraging evidence that Nigeria’s electoral process can continue to evolve towards greater credibility, transparency and acceptance.

“For this, we believe that the institutions and individuals who contributed to this outcome deserve recognition. This election is a victory for democracy,” he added.

The party reserved particular commendation for the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, saying his leadership during the Osun election demonstrated the importance of courage, independence and integrity in the management of elections.

Nnadi argued that an electoral commission should function as an impartial referee rather than an institution that determines electoral winners.

He said the responsibility of INEC was to create an environment in which citizens could freely choose their leaders and have their votes counted.

“Mr Chairman, you have demonstrated through the Osun election that the credibility of an electoral institution ultimately depends on the courage, independence and integrity with which its leadership performs its constitutional responsibilities,” he added.

He spoke further: “The most important achievement of any election is not necessarily who wins or who loses. It is whether the people believe that they had a genuine opportunity to determine their leadership through the ballot.

“The Osun election has strengthened that confidence.”

Nnadi went further to describe Amupitan as “a new democratic hero”, while urging him not to rest on the achievement but to institutionalise the lessons of the Osun election across future electoral exercises.

He said the ultimate challenge before INEC was to ensure that the credibility associated with the Osun poll became a permanent feature of Nigeria’s electoral system.

The APP also gave President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a strong endorsement for what it described as the Federal Government’s provision of a level playing field for political parties during the election.

Nnadi said democracy demanded more than merely holding periodic elections, stressing that those in power must demonstrate sufficient political maturity to allow citizens to freely choose their leaders even when the outcome might not favour the governing party.

He said the President deserved commendation for allegedly resisting the temptation to deploy federal power to improperly influence the electoral outcome.

“He allowed the electoral process to take its course. He allowed INEC to operate with the necessary independence. He allowed political parties to compete.

“And, most importantly, he demonstrated that the Federal Government can permit a genuinely competitive electoral process without seeking to predetermine the outcome,” Nnadi said.

According to him, the development was particularly significant as the country was already looking towards the 2027 general elections.

Nnadi urged Tinubu to sustain what he called the democratic precedent established in Osun, arguing that the electorate must remain the ultimate source of political power.

“The Osun experience provides an opportunity for the President and the Federal Government to establish a clear democratic precedent: that electoral power belongs ultimately to the Nigerian people, and that government must respect the sanctity of their votes,” he said.

According to him, “If the Federal Government can provide this kind of environment in Osun, then there is no reason why the 2027 general elections cannot be conducted to an even higher democratic standard.”

The party also commended the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies for their roles in securing the election.

Nnadi stressed that credible elections could not take place in an atmosphere where voters were afraid, electoral officials were threatened, materials could not move freely or political actors were allowed to intimidate opponents.

“Security is therefore not an incidental component of an election. It is fundamental to the credibility of the entire democratic process,” he said.

He urged security agencies to maintain professionalism, neutrality and restraint in subsequent elections, particularly as the country approaches the politically sensitive 2027 general elections.

The party also congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his electoral victory, urging him to see the outcome as the beginning of a greater responsibility to the entire people of Osun State.

Nnadi said an election might end the political contest, but it simultaneously imposed the responsibility of governance on the victor.

“In a democracy, an election ends the contest but begins the responsibility to govern,” he said.

He, therefore, urged Adeleke to govern without discrimination and to extend the benefits of government to supporters and opponents alike.

Despite its strong commendation of the Osun election, the APP cautioned against declaring the exercise flawless.

Nnadi said credible democracy required constant evaluation and improvement, noting that logistical, administrative, technological and operational challenges could still occur during elections.

He urged INEC to conduct a comprehensive post-election review involving political parties and other stakeholders.

According to him, such a review should examine electoral materials management, voter accreditation, results management, collation procedures, communication with political parties and the deployment of technology.

He also stressed the need for electoral rules and regulations to be applied consistently and impartially to all political parties and candidates.

“The credibility of an election is not merely about what happens on election day. It is about the entire electoral cycle,” he said.

The APP said perhaps the most consequential lesson from the Osun election was its implication for the 2027 general elections.

Nnadi warned that the next general elections would be closely watched by Nigerians and the international community, adding that the standards established ahead of 2027 would shape public confidence in the country’s democracy for years to come.

He argued that if political parties could compete freely, INEC could operate independently, the Federal Government could provide a level playing field, security agencies could remain professional and voters could cast their ballots without intimidation, then Nigeria had no excuse for failing to conduct credible elections.

“Osun must not be an exception. Osun must become the benchmark,” he declared.

The party consequently called on INEC to build on the Osun experience, the Federal Government to sustain the principle of non-interference, security agencies to maintain neutrality and professionalism, and political parties to respect democratic rules.

It also urged Nigerians to defend their votes and reject violence, intimidation and electoral manipulation.

Beyond government institutions, the party said political parties themselves must shoulder part of the responsibility for strengthening Nigerian democracy.

Nnadi noted that parties could not demand credible national elections while tolerating undemocratic practices within their own organisations.

“The sanctity of the ballot must begin with the internal democracy of political parties,” he said.

He called for transparent processes for selecting candidates and resolving political disputes, insisting that disagreements within political parties should be settled through democratic mechanisms rather than violence.

Nnadi said the APP remained committed to democratic participation, accountability, constitutionalism and the rule of law.

The party also used the occasion to caution Nigerians against losing faith in democracy despite the challenges confronting the political system.

Nnadi said the Osun election offered reasons for optimism, arguing that every improvement in the credibility of elections strengthened the country’s democratic foundation.

“Every time an election is conducted more credibly than the one before it, our democracy becomes stronger,” he said.

“Every time a political leader accepts the will of the people, democracy becomes stronger.

“Every time an electoral umpire refuses to compromise the integrity of the ballot, democracy becomes stronger.

“Every time security agencies protect voters rather than intimidate them, democracy becomes stronger.

“And every time citizens insist that their votes must count, Nigeria becomes stronger,” he further said.

He said the significance of Osun extended beyond the state, the candidates and the political parties involved.

“That is why the Osun election matters. It is bigger than one state. It is bigger than one political party. It is bigger than one candidate,” he said.

According to him, “It is about whether Nigerians can continue to believe that their votes can determine who governs them.”

The APP consequently pledged to support legitimate institutional efforts aimed at making the 2027 elections more credible, transparent and inclusive.

The party declared that the Osun experience had shown Nigerians what was possible when institutions, political actors and citizens played their respective roles in protecting the ballot.

“Osun has shown us what is possible. Now, Nigeria must build on it.

“The 2027 elections must be conducted with an even higher standard of transparency, neutrality, professionalism and respect for the will of the people.

“This is not about APC. This is not about APP. This is not about PDP, Accord, ADC or any other political party.

“This is about Nigeria. A victory for the people. A victory for democracy. A victory for Nigeria,” the party noted.