A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Sowunmi, has said the 2026 governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states will be the first genuine test of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that political relevance is proven at the polls, not through rhetoric.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television amid rising conversations around emerging opposition platforms, Sowunmi dismissed claims that the ADC is positioning itself as a rescue party for Nigerians.
According to him, only electoral performance—not public posturing—will determine the party’s credibility.
“I don’t think so. The first test they will face is in Osun and then Ekiti, whichever comes first. They will discover that politics does not yield to the noise they are making,” he said on Thursday.
Sowunmi warned against rushing to conclusions about the ADC’s prospects, noting that political organisations need time to overcome internal contradictions and long-standing habits.
“I have many opinions about the ADC, but it is still too early. One must be careful not to damage an already struggling effort. It takes time to unlearn habits. As human beings, we are creatures of character and routine. If no one tells you certain habits are wrong, you keep repeating them,” he stated.
He also criticised what he described as early signs of entitlement within the party.
“You haven’t even crossed the goal line, yet you already see strong entitlement conversations from people who believe they must be given tickets even before joining,” Sowunmi added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the Ekiti governorship election for June 20, 2026, while Osun State will vote on August 8, 2026.
INEC has also released timelines for party primaries, candidate submissions and campaign activities, describing the elections as key indicators ahead of the 2027 general polls.
The commission said it is introducing measures to strengthen electoral credibility, including deploying Resident Electoral Commissioners outside their states of origin and further improving election technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Major political parties, including the APC and PDP, have already begun mobilising for the contests, which come less than a year before the 2027 presidential election.
