By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
ABUJA — A coalition of opposition political parties, ethnic youth organisations and civil society groups has commended the conduct of the recent Osun State governorship election, urging the Federal Government, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to sustain the standard ahead of the 2027 general elections
The groups, which included the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Ohanaeze Youth Movement, Middle-Belt Youth Forum, Oduduwa Consultative Youth Movement, PBAT Door-2-Door Movement and African Centre for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR), described the election as an important development for Nigeria’s democratic process
They also passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, and the security agencies involved in the election, describing Tinubu and Amupitan as “new democratic heroes” for their respective roles in the exercise.
The groups spoke on Thursday in Abuja at a press conference addressed on their behalf by the National Chairman of the Action Peoples Party (APP), High Chief Uchenna Nnadi
They said the significance of the Osun election went beyond the victory of any particular candidate or political party, arguing that its real value lay in the opportunity it provided voters to exercise their franchise in a relatively peaceful environment
According to them, the credibility of an election should ultimately be measured by whether voters are able to cast their ballots freely and whether their choices are respected
The groups commended INEC for its handling of the election, particularly the role played by its chairman, saying the exercise underscored the importance of an electoral commission operating with independence and integrity
They urged Amupitan to build on the gains recorded in Osun and ensure that lessons from the election were incorporated into subsequent electoral processes
“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,” they said.
The groups also praised President Tinubu for what they described as the Federal Government’s decision to provide a level playing field for political parties during the election
They said democracy required those in power to demonstrate the maturity to allow voters to freely determine their leaders, even when the outcome might not favour the ruling party
The coalition urged Tinubu to maintain the approach ahead of 2027, saying the Osun election could provide a useful precedent for future elections
“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,” they said
The groups also commended the security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army and Department of State Services (DSS), for their roles during the election
They stressed that credible elections could not be guaranteed where voters, electoral officials or political actors were exposed to intimidation and violence
The coalition, however, urged the security agencies to sustain professionalism, neutrality and restraint during future elections
It also praised the people of Osun State for participating in the electoral process, describing the electorate as the ultimate owners of democracy
The groups congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his victory and urged him to use his renewed mandate to unite the people and provide good governance irrespective of political affiliation
“In a democracy, an election ends the contest but begins the responsibility to govern,” they said
INEC urged to improve electoral process
Despite their commendation of the election, the groups said the Osun exercise should not be regarded as flawless
They called on INEC to conduct a comprehensive post-election review to identify shortcomings in logistics, voter accreditation, election technology, results management, collation and communication with political parties
They also demanded consistent application of electoral rules to all political parties and candidates
According to them, the credibility of an election should be assessed across the entire electoral cycle rather than solely on election day
The coalition said the most significant lesson from the Osun election should be its implications for the 2027 general elections
They identified independent electoral management, a level playing field, professional security agencies, freedom for voters to cast their ballots and outcomes that reflect the will of the electorate as critical requirements for credible elections
They argued that if those conditions could be sustained, Nigeria would demonstrate that credible elections were achievable
“There’s therefore no justification for lowering the standard in 2027 Osun must not be an exception. Osun must become the benchmark,” they said.
The groups called on the Federal Government to sustain what they described as non-interference in the electoral process, while urging INEC and security agencies to maintain their independence and professionalism
They also urged political parties to respect electoral laws and strengthen internal democracy, arguing that parties seeking credible national elections must also ensure transparent processes in the selection of their own candidates and leaders
“The sanctity of the ballot must begin with the internal democracy of political parties,” they said
The coalition further appealed to Nigerians not to lose faith in democracy despite the challenges confronting the country’s political system
They said every improvement in electoral conduct, acceptance of election outcomes by political leaders and protection of voters by security agencies would contribute to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions