Rauf Aregbesola, national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says the 2023 presidential election result in Lagos showed that control of state governments does not determine electoral outcomes.
Aregbesola spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the public launch of ‘The Loyalist’, a book written by Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC.
He said results from the south-west and south-east during the 2023 general election contradicted the belief that governors can deliver votes against the will of the electorate.
His comments come amid a wave of defections to the APC by governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defecting governors include Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau.
Several members of the national assembly, state lawmakers, former governors, ex-ministers and other party leaders have also defected from the PDP to the APC.
Tinubu and other APC leaders have dismissed claims that the defections indicate a drift towards a one-party state.
Reacting, Aregbesola, who left the APC for the ADC last year, urged the ruling party to ensure that the 2027 elections are conducted in a free, fair and credible manner.
“Something is going on that is worrisome, especially for those of us who are democrats or aspire to be democrats,” Aregbesola said.
“The fact that certain governors are defecting to the APC shows that our unity is weakened.
“I laugh because recent statistics in Nigeria, based on the last election, do not support this belief.”
The former Osun governor said the APC controlled all south-west states except one during the election.
“Despite this, the maximum performance of the party in that election was 55 percent, with the other parties sharing the rest,” he said.
Aregbesola said the same pattern played out in Lagos, adding that south-east result was even more striking.
“The APC candidate (Tinubu) lost his ward, local government and state,” he said.
“So please, for goodness’ sake, when it is claimed that governors win elections against the people’s will — where?
“The APC had only 5.8 percent of the total vote from that (south-east) zone.
“The results of these two zones clearly show that governors do not win elections — the people do.”
He said what is required from those in charge of elections is a commitment to a free and fair process.
“So first, commit yourself to a free and fair election, and let us see what the result will be,” he added.
