Senate Leader and Chairman of the National Assembly South-West Caucus, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to draw strategic lessons from the just-concluded Osun State governorship election and intensify efforts to secure at least 10 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu across the South-West in the 2027 general elections.

Bamidele, in a statement issued on Monday, said the outcome of the Osun election presented the ruling party with an opportunity to review its campaign strategy, strengthen internal cohesion and build broader political alliances ahead of 2027.

According to him, the 51.57 per cent voter turnout recorded in the election demonstrates the potential for increased voter participation across the region if the party effectively mobilises the electorate.

He said, with greater synergy among party members and strategic collaboration with political actors, the APC could target a minimum of 60 per cent voter turnout across the South-West in 2027.

“The election outcome suggests that our task of mobilising 10 million votes for President Tinubu’s re-election in the South-West alone is already on the horizon if we effectively leverage the gains of the Osun poll,” he said.

Bamidele described the Osun election as a critical learning opportunity for the APC, urging party leaders and members to urgently review their mobilisation and campaign strategies.

He said the party must expand its engagement beyond traditional political structures and reach artisans, traders, farmers, entrepreneurs, youths, women, labour unions, civil society organisations, community leaders, traditional rulers and private-sector operators.

“Our engagement approach, more than any time in our recent history, must be all-encompassing, and it must not leave any person or interest behind,” he said.

The Senate Leader also called for greater emphasis on communicating the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration to Nigerians, particularly its efforts to address fiscal challenges, tackle insecurity, strengthen democratic institutions and create sustainable economic opportunities.

Bamidele, however, said the APC should respect the outcome of the Osun election, which returned Governor Ademola Adeleke to office, stressing that the decision of the electorate must be respected in a democracy.
He consequently urged the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, to congratulate Adeleke and offer constructive policy suggestions that could contribute to the development of the state.

He further appealed to Governor Adeleke to extend his administration beyond partisan politics and work with all political stakeholders to promote peace, stability and inclusive governance.

Bamidele also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting the election, saying the exercise provided important lessons for political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

He maintained that the APC’s defeat in Osun should not be viewed merely as a setback but as an opportunity to reposition the party and deepen its engagement with voters across the South-West.

“The outcome of this election does not make us a loser, but indeed a true stakeholder in the progress and posterity of Osun State,” he said.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as his statesmanlike handling of the Osun State governorship election.

The NGF said President Tinubu successfully balanced his role as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with his responsibility as the father of the nation.

In a statement issued by its Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, the forum also congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and wished him a successful second term in office.

The governors attributed Adeleke’s victory partly to his performance and popularity among the people of Osun State.

The NGF also praised Osun residents for their large turnout, saying the election demonstrated the resilience of Nigeria’s democracy.

It commended all the candidates and opposition parties for their contributions to the democratic process, while also applauding security agencies for preventing violence and creating a safe environment for voters.

The forum expressed confidence that Governor Adeleke would build on the achievements of his first term and continue to serve the overall interests of the people of Osun State.

Three political parties have failed to submit the names of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) closed its nomination portal for the 2027 general election.

A senior INEC official, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly, disclosed that the affected parties are the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Nyesom Wike, and the Labour Party (LP) faction led by Nenadi Usman.

According to the official, the commission shut its online nomination portal at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, bringing to an end the extended window granted to political parties for the submission of the names and credentials of their presidential, National Assembly, and other federal legislative candidates.

The source explained that while the vast majority of registered political parties successfully completed their submissions before the deadline, the three parties failed to upload both their presidential and vice-presidential candidates within the stipulated period.

INEC had earlier extended the deadline from July 11 to July 14 after appeals from political parties seeking additional time to conclude their nomination processes. However, the electoral commission maintained throughout the extension that no further postponement would be granted.

Among the political parties that met the deadline were the All Progressives Congress (APC), which submitted the ticket of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for re-election.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also successfully uploaded the names of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) submitted the ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Sources within the commission further revealed that a number of political parties completed only partial submissions by uploading the names of their presidential candidates without naming their vice-presidential candidates before the portal closed.

Despite the conclusion of the nomination exercise, uncertainty reportedly remains in some states regarding the identities of candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives, as INEC begins the verification and processing of all submissions in accordance with the Electoral Act and the commission’s guidelines.

The commission is expected to scrutinise the credentials and nominations submitted by political parties before publishing the final list of candidates eligible to participate in the 2027 general election.