Opposition coalition leader Salihu Moh. Lukman has declared that the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the just-concluded Osun State governorship election offers a clear blueprint for how opposition parties can defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued on behalf of the G100 political coalition movement, Lukman said Adeleke’s victory over the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, demonstrated the power of opposition cooperation and compromise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815.
“The significance of what has happened in Osun goes far beyond the re-election of one governor. Osun has provided a template for 2027,” Lukman stated.
He noted that Nigeria’s opposition does not lack popular support among citizens. Its greatest obstacle remains fragmentation among parties and leaders.
Lukman particularly praised the governorship candidates who stepped down and backed Adeleke, describing their decision as an example of putting the broader democratic interest above personal and party ambitions.
“Nigeria is bigger than any candidate, any ambition and any political party. If opposition leaders genuinely believe that the country requires a different direction in 2027, then they must demonstrate the same courage, restraint and willingness to compromise that has now produced this outcome in Osun,” he said.
The G100, which is working to unite opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections, urged national opposition leaders to replicate the Osun model by consolidating support behind a single viable candidate rather than allowing divisions to hand victory to the ruling party.
Lukman emphasized that the Osun result shows what is possible when political actors prioritize national interest and democratic renewal over individual aspirations.
The coalition called on opposition stakeholders across the country to draw lessons from Osun and build a broad-based alliance capable of offering Nigerians a credible alternative in 2027.