Lawyer and political analyst, Frank Tietie, has urged Nigerian politicians to stop relying on godfathers and federal influence to win elections, saying the outcome of the Osun governorship poll showed that voters could still make independent choices.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday, Tietie said the election demonstrated that political personalities, individual records and public confidence could outweigh the influence of political parties and established political structures.
“They must not always depend on godfathers. They must not depend on federal might. They must actually depend on what they are, what they can do, and how much the people believe in them.”
He said the poll had redefined the role of political parties and demonstrated the growing influence of individual candidates. “We’ve seen that party, the political parties can be irrelevant when it comes to a charismatic and happy-go-lucky individual like Governor Ademola Adeleke.”
Tietie explained that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s performance showed that an individual could transform a relatively less influential political platform into a major electoral force. “You know, we’re talking about Governor Ademola Adeleke, who took a fringe party, a party that was, you know, was nearly irrelevant in national politics, you know, and transformed it into a major force in an election and delivered.”
He also argued that vote buying did not necessarily determine how voters ultimately cast their ballots, saying voters could accept inducements while still choosing their preferred candidates. “So they collect money and they vote their mind.”
He said the development should prompt a broader conversation about Nigeria’s electoral system, including the possibility of allowing independent candidates to contest elections.
“So the redefinition of the fact that an individual can actually, you know, override and tow us so much to the point that political parties’ influence now becomes irrelevant is something we must seriously consider in terms of having independent candidacy in the subsequent elections.”
Tietie further criticised the role of political parties in Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that many had failed to provide clear ideological direction or maintain consistent commitments to voters. “Political parties have become more of a problem. They have not improved our democracy at all, they have not conversed enough ideology. They have not shown that they are consistent. They are committed to anything but just grabbing power and then becoming anything but, you know, keeping the commitments that they made in terms of building up to elections.”
He said the Osun election also offered lessons for politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly on the need to build personal credibility and demonstrate the capacity to deliver. “They must actually depend on what they are, what they can do, and how much the people believe in them. That’s one great lesson for Nigerian politicians to learn from this election.”
On the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Tietie said the commission had made progress in conducting the Osun election despite some challenges.
“INEC has disappointed a number of its critics. INEC has done quite well. It has proven that it can really organise elections despite several hitches, despite the behavioural problems associated with the participants, whether as candidates, electorates and observers.”
He identified shortcomings in the handling of results from a polling unit, saying the issue exposed the need for greater scrutiny in the recruitment and deployment of ad hoc election officials. “That was a huge embarrassment for INEC when you realise that in the entire results I viewed on the IREV portal, this one stood out as something that INEC needs to work upon in terms of the recruitment of its ad hoc staff.”
Tietie said the ability of INEC to respond quickly to challenges would be crucial to its credibility ahead of 2027. “It has a lot to learn from, like I said yesterday, that there will be problems but the responsive rate at which INEC resolves those problems will determine how effective it is.”
He also said the Osun election demonstrated the importance of political personalities, citing the role played by prominent individuals in mobilising support. “Personalities, good name, and all of that were deployed in this election and it favoured Governor Adeleke.”
Tietie specifically referenced singer Davido’s involvement in the election campaign as an example of the growing influence of prominent personalities in electoral politics. “Davido was an important factor in this election. The way he campaigned, you cannot take it away from him.”
Tietie also expressed hope that the conduct of the Osun election would provide a foundation for further improvements in Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections. “If that happens, we will have got a milestone in progress in terms of our democracy.”
He ultimately urged President Bola Tinubu to maintain the approach he said was demonstrated during the Osun election, arguing that political leaders should prioritise enduring democratic legacies over simply winning elections. “Mr. President, you do not always have to win, now, you don’t always have to win. But leave legacies that are enduring. And then you will be praised all over the world.”
Tietie concluded that the lessons from Osun should be carried into the 2027 elections. “This must be replicated in 2027 elections.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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