Tinubu’s neutrality credited for Adeleke’s Osun election win
A former Accord Party presidential candidate, Prof Chris Imumolen, has argued that President Bola Tinubu’s restraint played a crucial role in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the Osun governorship election. Imumolen criticized claims that Tinubu had no influence on the outcome, emphasizing the significance of the president’s decision not to use federal power against the opposition. He highlighted that Tinubu’s actions allowed the people of Osun to freely choose their leader. Imumolen urged political actors not to dismiss the importance of democratic conduct in such contests.
Key takeaways
- Prof Chris Imumolen said that reducing Tinubu’s role to campaign or financial support ignores his democratic restraint before and during the Osun election.
- He argued that Tinubu’s neutrality and refusal to deploy state power contributed to the credibility of the election process.
- The APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, lost to Adeleke, who secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes and Najeem Salaam of ADC got 17,180 votes.
- Imumolen stated that it is rare for a sitting president to remain neutral when his own party is contesting a fiercely fought state election.
- He maintained that leadership is also measured by the restraint shown towards opponents, not just by actions taken for allies.
