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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

ADC collaborated with Accord to defeat APC in Osun — Abdullahi

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The African Democratic Congress (ADC) collaborated with the Accord Party to ensure the defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Osun State governorship election.
  • ADC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that the coalition aimed to prevent a division of opposition votes that could have benefited the APC.
  • Abdullahi emphasized that the primary objective was the APC's defeat, viewing it as a victory for the ADC, and suggested this strategy could be replicated in the 2027 presidential election.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has revealed its strategic alliance with the Accord Party during the August Osun State governorship election. The collaboration was designed to prevent the All Progressives Congress (APC) from regaining power in the state.

We saw the possibility of collaboration. We saw the possibility earlier on that if we decided to go full throttle, the possibility that the opposition would divide the votes and APC would take the victory was there.

— Bolaji AbdullahiExplaining the rationale behind the ADC's collaboration with the Accord Party in the Osun governorship election.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC's National Publicity Secretary, explained that the party identified a potential risk of opposition votes being split, which could have inadvertently aided the APC. "We saw the possibility of collaboration," Abdullahi stated on Trust TV. "We saw the possibility earlier on that if we decided to go full throttle, the possibility that the opposition would divide the votes and APC would take the victory was there."

He further elaborated on the decision-making process, noting, "And that was why we saw the opportunity to work together. And that was what happened." The ADC's governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, garnered 17,180 votes, while the Accord Party's candidate, Ademola Adeleke, secured 511,067 votes to defeat the APC's Bola Oyebamiji, who received 444,815 votes.

And that was why we saw the opportunity to work together. And that was what happened.

— Bolaji AbdullahiDescribing the execution of the collaboration with the Accord Party.

Abdullahi asserted that the ADC does not consider its candidate's performance a failure, as the party's main goal was to ensure the APC's defeat. "For us, victory means that APC was defeated," he said. "So we don’t see the fact that our governor did not emerge as an indication of defeat or failure. For us, the failure, the defeat of the APC, was a real victory for us."

For us, victory means that APC was defeated. So we don’t see the fact that our governor did not emerge as an indication of defeat or failure. For us, the failure, the defeat of the APC, was a real victory for us.

— Bolaji AbdullahiDefining the ADC's measure of success in the Osun election.

The ADC official highlighted that this joint effort demonstrated the potential for opposition parties to defeat the ruling APC in the 2027 presidential election if they unite. "It has proved that the opposition working together can actually defeat this incumbent, no matter how awesome they are," Abdullahi added. However, he credited the people of Osun State and Governor Ademola Adeleke for the victory, stating, "The credit belongs to the people of Osun State. The victory belongs to Ademola Adeleke."

It has proved that the opposition working together can actually defeat this incumbent, no matter how awesome they are.

— Bolaji AbdullahiHighlighting the potential for opposition unity in future elections.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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