Senator Mudashiru Husain Takes On Aregbesola Over 2023 Elections, Warns Ahead of 2027

Senator Mudashiru Husain Takes On Aregbesola Over 2023 Elections, Warns Ahead of 2027

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

A former lawmaker from Osun West Senatorial District, Senator Mudashiru Husain, has taken issue with recent comments attributed to former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on the conduct and outcome of the 2023 general elections, warning against what he described as a selective interpretation of Nigeria’s democratic experience.

In a statement issued in Osogbo on Wednesday, Husain said Aregbesola’s remarks oversimplified the country’s electoral process and ignored the historical role of leadership, party structure and long-term political organisation in shaping electoral outcomes.

Husain, a two-term member of the House of Representatives for Oshodi/Isolo and a long-time associate of Aregbesola within the progressive political movement, acknowledged that the will of the people remains central to democracy. However, he argued that elections do not operate in a vacuum.

“Democracy thrives on the will of the people, but that will is shaped, mobilised and protected by credible political leadership,” Husain said. “To suggest otherwise is to reduce a complex democratic process to a single factor.”

Reacting specifically to comments credited to Aregbesola, now National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggesting that governors defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) may not guarantee victory for the party in 2027, Husain disagreed, pointing to broader national dynamics rather than isolated electoral outcomes. He cited the APC’s performance in Lagos during the 2023 presidential election as insufficient grounds for sweeping conclusions about national politics.

The Ejigbo Local Government APC Apex Leader stressed that the progressive movement, which both men emerged from under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was built through years of grassroots engagement, ideological clarity and disciplined party organisation, not spontaneous popularity.

According to him, those foundations were responsible for the electoral successes recorded by the movement across different levels of government over time.

Commenting on references to losses recorded in parts of the country during the last presidential election, Husain cautioned against relying on fragmented statistics to question national mandates.

“National elections are determined by aggregate national confidence, not isolated local results,” he said, adding that leadership at the centre is earned through vision, experience and the ability to build broad coalitions.

Husain also rejected the notion that political leaders merely “control” votes, arguing instead that governors and party leaders play stabilising roles within party systems by mobilising supporters, strengthening institutions and sustaining democratic culture.

He warned that persistent adversarial framing of electoral debates, especially by experienced political actors, could weaken public trust in democratic institutions.

“Democracy is strengthened by consistency and responsibility in public discourse,” he noted. “Those who have benefitted from structured political systems have a duty to speak with balance and historical clarity.”

The former federal commissioner concluded by urging political leaders and commentators to avoid revisionist narratives and focus instead on deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture through constructive engagement, institutional respect and a shared commitment to the country’s evolving political journey.