Political parties may select candidates, it’s the people that select governments, By Akeem Bello

The Osun governorship election serves as a significant indicator of Nigerian voters' increasing autonomy, demonstrating their capacity to distinguish between party affiliation and individual candidates, as well as federal and state political dynamics. This evolving voter behavior suggests a gradual reclamation of political power by citizens, rather than a replacement of democratic institutions.

According to the author, the All Progressives Congress (APC) faced significant challenges in the Osun election, largely stemming from its candidate selection process. The article posits that the manner in which the APC chose its candidate created an avoidable structural weakness that hampered the party's campaign efforts until election day.

Examining the APC's candidate selection, the article notes that nine aspirants initially vied for the nomination. Following a screening process, only two were cleared, while others were disqualified. This generated controversy, with disqualified aspirants questioning the exercise's fairness. Ultimately, seven aspirants withdrew their candidacies to support the chosen candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

While acknowledging the potential benefits of consensus in political parties, such as preventing destructive competition, the article critiques the APC's decision to affirm Oyebamiji through a voice vote rather than a competitive primary. This approach, the author suggests, raises questions about intra-party democracy, elite bargaining, candidate legitimacy, electoral accountability, and the growing independence of the Nigerian voter.