- He further disclosed that the party garnered only about 5.8 per cent of votes in the South-East
- He argued that the 2023 election results clearly showed that governors cannot override the collective decision of voters
- Aregbesola said the APC presidential candidate lost in his ward, local government and across the state
Rauf Aregbesola, National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has said the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in Lagos proved that political power at the state level does not automatically translate to electoral victory.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Aregbesola made the remark on Tuesday in Abuja at the public presentation of The Loyalist, a book authored by the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.
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According to him, the Lagos result punctured the long-held belief that governors can impose electoral outcomes on voters, stressing that the will of the people ultimately determines election results.
He noted that despite the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlling most states in the South-West at the time, the party failed to secure Lagos during the presidential election.
Aregbesola’s comments come against the backdrop of recent defections by several governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
The governors who have defected include Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau.
The wave has also extended to lawmakers, former governors, ex-ministers and other party leaders.
Reacting to concerns that the trend could lead to a one-party system, Aregbesola, who dumped the APC for the ADC last year, urged the ruling party to guarantee credible elections ahead of 2027.
“Something troubling is happening, especially for those of us who believe in democracy,” he said.
He argued that the 2023 election results clearly showed that governors cannot override the collective decision of voters.
“In the South-West, where the APC held sway, the party’s best performance was around 55 per cent, with other parties sharing the rest,” he explained.
Using Lagos as a case study, Aregbesola said the APC presidential candidate lost in his ward, local government and across the state.
He further disclosed that the party garnered only about 5.8 per cent of votes in the South-East.
“These figures confirm one thing: governors do not win elections — the people do,” he stated.
Aregbesola concluded by stressing that the credibility of elections depends largely on the integrity of those entrusted with managing the process.
“If those in charge commit to free and fair elections, then we will truly see the will of the people reflected in the results,” he added.
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