The Director of Media, Osun Renewal Drive, Olalekan Oni, has called for a balanced assessment of the 2026 Osun governorship election, saying former Governor Gboyega Oyetola should be commended for his leadership rather than made a scapegoat for the All Progressives Congress, APC, loss.
In a statement, Oni noted that election outcomes often attract criticisms and blame games, but the role of individual leaders must be judged fairly and in proper context.
“Losing an election will always come with stories, criticisms, blame games and post-election analyses. That is simply the nature of politics. When a party wins, its strategies are celebrated; when it loses, the same strategies are suddenly subjected to intense scrutiny,” he said.
He stressed that Oyetola, as the political leader of the APC in Osun, led one of the most extensive mobilisation efforts in the party’s history in the state.
“Oyetola should not be made the scapegoat for the APC’s loss. He is a consummate leader who has consistently demonstrated commitment, discipline and an uncommon willingness to give his best to every responsibility entrusted to him,” Oni stated.
According to him, the party under Oyetola’s leadership did not take victory for granted.
“The APC did not sit back and expect victory to happen. Under the leadership of Oyetola, the party traversed the 30 local government areas and the Ife East Area Office, reaching out to stakeholders, party members, traditional institutions, community leaders and voters. The scale of the mobilisation was significant and demonstrated a clear determination to win.”
Oni drew an analogy with football, noting that victory often changes how strategies are perceived.
“It is easy, after an electoral defeat, to identify everything that supposedly went wrong. But politics, like football, is judged differently depending on the result. If a team comes back from 3–0 down to win 4–3, analysts will celebrate its resilience, tactical changes and fighting spirit. Nobody will spend much time discussing the mistakes that allowed the team to concede three goals in the first place. Victory changes the narrative.”
He added that many of the structures now being criticised were similar to those that had delivered success for the APC in previous elections.
“Today, because the APC lost, virtually every aspect of the party’s campaign structure is being questioned… But the same initiatives would have been celebrated as masterstrokes had the APC emerged victorious.”
The statement urged the party to separate accountability from condemnation.
“Leadership comes with responsibility, but responsibility should not automatically become blame. In football, when a team loses, the manager may be held accountable even when individual players made critical mistakes on the pitch. That is part of the burden of leadership. But accountability must be distinguished from condemnation.”
“Oyetola deserves recognition for taking responsibility and leading from the front. He deserves commendation for the extensive mobilisation across Osun, for the reconciliation efforts within the party and for the commitment he demonstrated throughout the campaign. The fact that the APC did not win does not erase the work that was done.”
Oni concluded that while the APC must review the election and learn lessons, it should avoid reducing the outcome to the actions of one person.
“Therefore, while the APC must honestly examine the election, identify its shortcomings and learn the necessary lessons ahead of future contests, it should resist the temptation to reduce the entire outcome to the actions or omissions of one individual.
Oyetola led. He mobilised. He engaged. He reconciled. He gave the assignment his best.
The result may not have been what the APC desired, but that does not make his contribution worthless.
The election may have been lost, but Oyetola’s commitment, leadership and effort deserve commendation; not condemnation.”