Jigawa State Governor’s aide on New Media, Comrade Muhammad Garba, has criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for its poor showing in the recent Osun State governorship election, where the party secured only 17,180 votes.
In a Facebook post on Sunday reacting to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election victory under the Accord Party platform, Garba said the outcome demonstrated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to democratic principles by allowing citizens to vote without interference.
According to the official results, Adeleke won 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, polling 511,067 votes. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Oyetola Oyebamiji, secured 11 local governments with 444,811 votes. The ADC trailed distantly with 17,180 votes.
Garba described the ADC’s performance as shocking given what he characterised as the party’s previous outbursts and propaganda. “I have been telling our people that this ADC will not make any impact. It only exists in a few local governments in the North,” he wrote.
The presidential aide framed the election result as more than numerical outcomes, calling it a significant expression of democratic choice. He said it provided an opportunity to assess the state of Nigeria’s democracy under the current administration.
Garba emphasised that President Tinubu had shown that holding the presidency does not guarantee electoral victory for his party in every contest. He described this distinction as crucial to democracy’s survival.
“When electoral institutions are allowed to function independently and citizens are free to choose their leaders, it strengthens public confidence in democracy and demonstrates the resilience of Nigeria’s democratic institutions,” Garba stated.
The Osun election, which returned Adeleke for a second term, has been widely cited by observers as a test of institutional independence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
