Osun Election: ‘Sky Didn’t Fall’ After Ruling Party Lost – Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described the outcome of the August 15 Osun State governorship election as evidence of Nigeria’s growing democratic maturity, saying the loss of a state by a ruling party should not threaten the country’s political stability.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke at Freedom Online’s seventh annual lecture held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, said the ability of an opposition party to defeat a ruling party in a governorship election demonstrated a departure from the era when the so-called “federal might” was routinely deployed against opposition parties.

The governor specifically referenced the Osun governorship election, which was won by the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, describing it as a demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to democratic principles.

“There was a time in this country when ‘federal might’ was a phrase that a ruling party used without irony.

“Under this President, the ruling party can lose a state in the South-West in an election year, and the sky does not fall. That is what a maturing democracy looks like,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He added that Tinubu was committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and leaving behind a stronger democratic system.

“This President is a lifelong democrat, and he means to leave behind a stronger democracy than he inherited, not only for Nigerians but as an example to a continent that badly needs one,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also acknowledged improvements in Nigeria’s electoral system, citing the Electoral Act 2022, the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 and the increasing application of technology in voter verification and the transmission of election results.

However, he stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen its preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“INEC must be ready in every polling unit on the 16th of January and again on the 6th of February, and each of us has a duty to help it be ready,” he said.

The Lagos governor also warned political parties and their supporters against resorting to violence in their quest for electoral victory, insisting that no political office was worth the life of any Nigerian.

“A mandate is only as strong as the process that produced it. No office in this land is worth the life of a single Nigerian and no victory won by the wrong means is a victory at all,” he said.

On the role of governors in the 2027 elections, Sanwo-Olu said the performance of state governments would be a major factor in determining how voters cast their ballots.

He noted that Nigerians would judge elected officials based on tangible improvements in their communities rather than political rhetoric.

“Voters may not be economists, but they are excellent accountants. They know whether their State built the road it promised. They know whether the primary health centre has a nurse in it. They will bring that ledger with them to the polling unit,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu further charged the media to remain independent and fearless in holding political leaders accountable, including politicians within their own parties.

“I am not asking for a compliant press.

“A compliant press is of no use to a democracy; it flatters the powerful and abandons the public.

“I am asking for a rigorous press. Check the facts, mine included. Call out disinformation wherever it comes from, including from my own side,” he said.

He warned that the increasing use of anonymous social media accounts and manipulated videos could pose a major threat to the credibility of the 2027 elections, urging the media to play a leading role in exposing false information.