Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The African Action Congress governorship candidate in the August 15 Osun State election, Olajide Esan, has declared that his political movement will return stronger despite his defeat, insisting that the monetisation of politics by what he called "moneybags" would not permanently silence the movement. Esan, who polled 1,458 votes to place eighth among the 15 candidates who contested the election, made the remarks in a message posted on his X handle on Sunday, August 16, 2026, thanking the people of Osun State for their support.
In his post, Esan, who ran under the Irapada Osun movement, framed his campaign as part of a larger mission that transcended electoral victory. "The Vision Outlives the Election: When we launched the IRAPADAOSUN movement under the banner of the African Action Congress (AAC), it was not based on the narrow goal of winning an election, it was based on something that is far greater: THE AWAKENING OF THE MINDS AND TRUE LIBERATION OF OUR PEOPLE," he wrote. The AAC candidate, who was backed during the campaign by the party's presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, criticised the influence of money in politics, arguing that it would not permanently silence the movement. "The monetization of politics by the moneybags won't silence us forever. Even though our people are trapped by weaponized hunger, poverty and ignorance that have been fashioned against them, the tide is turning, and the grip that the oppressors have on the people is loosening," he said.
Esan added, "This is only the beginning, we will be back stronger, better, and more steadfast in our fight to restore good governance back to the people." The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner of the election after he polled 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state's 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
Esan's performance, while modest, reflects the broader challenge facing smaller parties in Nigeria's electoral landscape, where the dominance of major parties and the influence of money have often marginalised alternative voices. The AAC candidate's vow to return stronger underscores the resilience of political movements that, despite electoral setbacks, remain committed to their vision of systemic change. His criticism of "weaponized hunger" and the grip of "oppressors" on the people resonates with a growing frustration among Nigerians who feel that the political system has failed to address their basic needs.
As the dust settles on the Osun governorship election, Esan's message serves as a reminder that for some, defeat is not the end but a prelude to a more determined struggle. His declaration that the tide is turning and that the movement will be back "stronger, better, and more steadfast" has struck a chord with supporters who share his vision of good governance and liberation from what he described as the grip of oppressors.
The election, which was largely peaceful, saw a voter turnout of approximately 42.8 per cent, with over 1.9 million registered voters participating. Despite allegations of vote-buying and isolated incidents of violence, the electoral process was widely regarded as credible, with the European Union Election Observation Hub reporting 323 electoral offences and 38 security incidents. For Esan and the AAC, the Osun election may have ended in defeat, but the struggle for what they describe as the awakening and liberation of the people continues. As he put it, "The tide is turning," and for his supporters, that is a promise worth holding onto.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments