By Peter Adelowo
The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Umar Gombe, has described the outcome of the Osun State governorship election as a major lesson for Nigeria’s opposition parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gombe, who stated this at a news conference in Abuja said the election demonstrated that Nigerians could defeat the influence of incumbency when given the opportunity to freely exercise their franchise.
He said the SDP was unable to effectively participate in the election because of prolonged legal challenges surrounding its candidate, noting that the party only obtained a Certified True Copy of the relevant court judgment shortly before the election.
According to him, the late recognition of the party’s candidate by INEC made it difficult for the SDP to properly mobilise its agents and supporters across the state.
Gombe, however, commended INEC for what he described as a professional conduct of the election, saying the commission had demonstrated that it could deliver a credible, free and fair electoral process when adequately supported.
He urged INEC to sustain the standard demonstrated in Osun and build on it ahead of 2027, stressing that the confidence of Nigerians and the international community in the electoral body had increased following the election.
The SDP chairman also identified security deployment as one of the major lessons from the election, noting that the involvement of senior police officers and extensive deployment of personnel showed the level of resources required to guarantee electoral security.
He said the Federal Government and security agencies must begin preparations early to ensure that adequate personnel and logistics are available for the 2027 general elections.
Gombe further criticised the practice of governors, ministers, legislators and other political office holders leaving their states to participate actively in elections outside their jurisdictions.
He called on security agencies to enforce existing electoral laws and restrict unnecessary movement by political office holders during elections, arguing that such actions could undermine the level playing field.
The SDP chairman said the Osun election also showed that opposition parties must move beyond personal ambitions and develop a common strategy capable of addressing the country’s challenges.
He urged opposition political parties to consider genuine collaboration ahead of 2027, stressing that any coalition must be based on competence, capacity, character, knowledge and commitment to national interest rather than individual political ambitions.
Gombe said the SDP had learnt important lessons from the Osun experience and remained committed to its proposed “rescue mission” for Nigeria.
He maintained that the party would present candidates capable of providing credible leadership and addressing the country’s economic, security and development challenges.
The SDP chairman also appealed to Nigerians to remain vigilant, defend their votes and participate actively in the electoral process, saying the Osun experience had shown that citizens could influence the direction of governance through their votes.
He said the outcome of the election should encourage voters across the country, particularly in states facing serious developmental challenges, to participate actively in the 2027 elections.
Gombe concluded that the lessons from Osun should serve as a wake-up call to INEC, security agencies, opposition parties and the electorate to begin preparations for a more transparent, credible and competitive 2027 general election.
