News
Osun Verdict: Adeleke Wins the Poll, Tinubu Wins a Bigger Democratic Test
The outcome of the Osun State governorship election has been described as more than a victory for Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Accord Party, with the result also presenting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with an important test of his administration’s commitment to democratic competition.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji.
For supporters of President Tinubu’s democratic credentials, the outcome carries significance beyond the immediate political fortunes of the APC.
The argument is straightforward: a president does not strengthen democracy by ensuring that his party wins every election. Rather, democratic confidence is strengthened when voters are allowed to make a different choice and that choice is respected.
That is why the Osun result could become an important reference point as Nigeria begins to look increasingly towards the 2027 general elections.
President Tinubu has repeatedly spoken about the importance of credible elections and the power of the ballot. Against that background, an opposition victory in Osun provides an opportunity to assess those principles beyond political speeches.
The result also offers a counterpoint to the long-standing perception that the party controlling the Federal Government must necessarily dominate elections across the states.
In Osun, voters have produced a different outcome.
Adeleke, seeking another term, secured the mandate after a closely watched contest in which the APC sought to reclaim the state. INEC’s final declaration has now put the people’s verdict on record.
The political significance could extend beyond Osun.
With political parties already positioning themselves for 2027, the election may fuel a broader conversation about the independence of the electoral process, the ability of opposition parties to compete and the extent to which voters can determine outcomes regardless of which party controls Abuja.
For Tinubu, therefore, the Osun election can be viewed from two perspectives.
Politically, his party has lost an important governorship contest.
Democratically, however, supporters of his administration can argue that allowing the electorate’s decision to stand is itself a victory for constitutional democracy.
The bigger question is whether this standard will continue to define future elections across Nigeria.
For now, the people of Osun have spoken, and INEC has announced their choice.
Adeleke gets another term.
The APC gets another lesson.
And Nigerian democracy gets another test passed—provided the people’s verdict continues to be respected.
Congratulations to the winner. Tough luck to the losers.
News
2027: You’ll be held accountable for wasting Oyo resources on presidential ambition – APC tackles Makinde
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested scores of suspects and recovered illicit drugs across the country.
In a statement on Sunday, the agency said it recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg worth over N1.1 billion concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan, and 57.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, worth over N173 million in street value, hidden inside cartons of disposable hand gloves in a shipment from Singapore at the Lagos airport.
According to the NDLEA, the recovery came weeks after its operatives, customs and other security agencies conducted a joint examination on Thursday.
“In one of the week’s most brazen discoveries, a 20,000-litre fuel tanker marked MKA 960 XC, and notorious for evading arrest in the past, was chased down by NDLEA officers along the Akoko/Lokoja expressway in Ondo State on Friday, 4th September, after its driver refused to stop,” the agency noted.
It explained that the driver later abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush, noting that a search of the tanker revealed a false compartment concealing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg alongside its legitimate fuel cargo destined for Jos, Plateau State.
The NDLEA further disclosed that barely a month after three suspects: Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi, and Joseph Moji were arrested at Tincan Port in Lagos over the seizure of 842.54kg of cannabis-laced cookies, “another 598.08kg (890 packets) of similarly infused cookies and gummies were on Wednesday 2nd September intercepted in a 40-foot container at the port and linked to the suspects already in custody”.
According to the agency, its operatives recovered 864,000 pills of opioids, especially tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank, whose Honda Civic car rammed an NDLEA patrol vehicle before he escaped.
“In another interdiction operation in Michika area of the state, a major methamphetamine supplier from Lagos to Mubi and Michika axis, Calistus Ebubechukwu, 35, was arrested on Friday 4th September with a total of 2kg of the dangerous substance, while Attahiru Hussaini was intercepted with 750,027,530 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden Ford Galaxy bus marked JJM-953XD at Namtari check point in Mubi on Monday 31st August,” the NDLEA said.
While noting that three suspects: Saidu Mustapha, 35; Zaharadeen Salisu, 29; and AbdulSalam Abdullahi, 25, were nabbed with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Owo, Ondo state to Jos, Plateau state along Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi state, the agency said Kelechi Unachukwu, was arrested with with a cocktail of over 109kg of tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, exol-5, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin in Taraba.
Arrests and recovery of illicit drugs were also made in Kaduna and Ekiti states.
NDLEA chairman Mohamed Marwa commended all the officers for their efforts, urging them to continue the agency’s current balanced approach to drug control.
Mr Marwa added that the agency continues to track down traffickers who believe they can reinvent themselves under new identities or legitimate business fronts.
-
News2 days agoWOWICCN Convention: CCN President Urges Women to Rise Above Nigeria’s Challenges
-
Business3 days ago
IPMAN Urges FG to Intervene in Dangote Refinery Pricing to Reduce Petrol Cost
-
News1 day ago
China Approves New Brain-Tech Devices in Growing Race With Elon Musk’s Neuralink
-
News3 days agoPlateau United Face Early NPFL Setback as New Season Gets Underway
