Osun’s Victory Came at a Grim Cost, Says Pat Utomi

The recent governorship election in Osun State may have delivered a win for Governor Ademola Adeleke, but political economist and former presidential hopeful Pat Utomi says the price was far too steep. In a stark assessment posted on X, Utomi alleged that nearly 30 people lost their lives in the heat of the electoral contest, a toll he described as a dark stain on the nation’s political conscience.

Utomi, known for his sharp critiques of Nigerian governance, did not mince words. He framed the election as a battle where lives were sacrificed to prevent what he called “evil” from prevailing. “Osun was won at a high price,” he wrote. “Nearly 30 lives were lost to keep evil from having its way. May the souls lost in Osun rest in God’s peace and those responsible for such macabre murders come to judgement.”

The former presidential candidate went further, lamenting the broader mindset that treats human life as collateral in the scramble for power. He pointed to the disturbing ease with which political actors move on, already discussing agreements and accords for future elections, while families grieve and communities nurse wounds. “Thirty lives, a few maimed and many mentally crushed, and people are talking of agreements and accords for the next elections,” he observed.

Utomi’s message carried a warning, too, echoing the classic call for constant vigilance in defending democratic gains. “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance. Aluta continua through January,” he declared, signaling that the struggle for accountability is far from over. He closed with a sobering reflection on the devaluation of life in political calculations: “How sad human lives come to nothing in some people’s calculation for power. Judgement day will be something else.”

The remarks add to growing concerns about electoral violence in Nigeria, where contests for public office often carry deadly consequences. For now, Osun’s political future remains uncertain, but Utomi’s words serve as a reminder that some victories leave scars that no ballot can heal.