Osun poll: Tinubu’s restraint helped Adeleke win, says Accord Party chieftain

Professor Chris Imumolen, a former presidential candidate for the Accord Party, has challenged the assertion that President Bola Tinubu played no role in Governor Ademola Adeleke's victory in the Osun governorship election held on August 15. Imumolen described this view as "ungrateful and pretentious," arguing that Tinubu's "democratic restraint" was a crucial, albeit indirect, form of support.

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President Bola Tinubu played no role in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 Osun governorship election, describing the position as “ungrateful and pretentious.”

Imumolen's comments were a response to an interview where the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Organisation suggested Tinubu offered no assistance, attributing Adeleke's win solely to the votes of Osun residents and the governor's performance. Imumolen contended that this perspective overlooked the significance of political support manifesting as a deliberate refusal to use state power against an opponent.

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President Tinubu demonstrated an extraordinary level of democratic restraint in Osun. He remained neutral even when the candidate of his own party was contesting the election and, by virtue of the family relationship involved, the contest had an additional political sensitivity.

"President Tinubu demonstrated an extraordinary level of democratic restraint in Osun," Imumolen stated. He pointed out that the President remained neutral, even though the candidate of his own party was contesting the election, which carried additional political sensitivity due to family relationships. Imumolen emphasized that Tinubu did not escalate the election into a personal battle or use his office to intimidate the opposition, thereby allowing the people of Osun to freely make their choice. This, he argued, significantly contributed to the electoral process's credibility.

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He did not turn the election into a personal battle. He did not deploy the power of his office to intimidate the opposition. Instead, he allowed the people of Osun to make their choice. That, in itself, is a significant contribution to the credibility of the electoral process.

The APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, was defeated by the incumbent governor, Adeleke, who secured 511,067 votes compared to Oyebamiji's 444,815. Imumolen found Tinubu's restraint particularly noteworthy given the involvement of the President's own party in a closely contested state election, calling it rare in contemporary African politics. He added that Tinubu's actions, including interventions concerning the Osun State Government's account and communication with Adeleke before the result declaration, demonstrated a statesmanlike approach.

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It is rare in contemporary African politics to see a sitting president demonstrate such restraint when his own party is involved in a fiercely contested state election.