Pat Utomi Says Osun Election Shows Voters Can Defeat Rigging

Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has described the outcome of the Osun State governorship election as evidence that voters can overcome attempts to manipulate elections.

Utomi reacted to the result in a statement shared on his verified X account on Sunday, following the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, securing 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who won 11 local government areas with 444,815 votes.

Commenting on the election, Utomi congratulated the people of Osun and praised their participation, arguing that strong voter turnout and determination could help protect democratic processes.

He also compared the development with previous electoral outcomes in Kano, saying the Osun result demonstrated that the will of the electorate could prevail over efforts to rig elections.

Utomi expressed optimism ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging Nigerians to remain confident in their ability to strengthen democracy through active participation.

“Massive turn out and a fighting spirit can save democracy. On to 2027 in confidence,” he said.