Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has described the outcome of the Osun State governorship election as evidence that voters can overcome attempts at electoral manipulation.
Utomi made the remarks in a statement shared on his verified X account on Sunday, following the declaration of incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, winning in 19 Local Government Areas, to defeat his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes and won in 11 Local Government Areas.
Reacting to the result, Utomi congratulated the people of Osun State, describing the election outcome as a victory for the electorate.
“Nigeria we hail thee. So the people triumphed in the state of Osun,” he wrote.
Drawing a comparison with the outcome of an election in Kano in previous years, Utomi said the Osun result demonstrated that the will of the people could prevail despite alleged attempts to manipulate elections.
“Like in Kano in years before, the people proved that their will can triumph over the forces of rigging,” he added.
Utomi further argued that strong voter participation and determination could help strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Massive turnout and a fighting spirit can save democracy. On to 2027 in confidence,” he said.