Tinubu’s Reaction To Oyetola’s Loss Was Copied – APC Chieftain Claims

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Elton Onwu has criticized a viral comment credited to the ruling party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, in reaction to Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s loss in the just concluded governorship election in Osun State.

Naija News reports that the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner of the Saturday polls in Osun State after gathering higher votes than the incumbent governor and other contestants.

Shortly after the announcement of the winner, a post reportedly went viral on social media and various prints in the early hours of Sunday, quoting Tinubu as saying he won’t dwell on the losses but restrategize ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The said statement read, “I don’t dwell on my losses. I review my mistakes, take lessons and strategize to maximize my opportunities to win the next battle.”

Reacting to the viral post, however, Onwu who was a member of the 2019 APC Presidential Campaign Council, declared in a statement received by The PUNCH on Tuesday that he was the original author of the quote.

The politician said the statement was lifted from his page by some unknown persons, shared on various social media platforms and subsequently published by online newspapers.

Onwu criticized the development and also chided some members of the APC who also took the report credited to Tinubu hook, line and sinker when it was obvious that the party was yet to take a position on the outcome of the election.

Onwu said, “I posted it as a party man to share my personal opinion and to encourage our teeming supporters who felt disappointed with the outcome of the election, some of whom believed that the outcome was a sign of what awaits the party in next year’s general elections.

“As a critical stakeholder of the party, I felt obliged to pass out a message of hope to the people that when you failed in one contest, it doesn’t define your true strength, rather it gives you a better view of your weakness and how to work on yourself to avoid such in the future.

“The APC is known for winning. We can’t allow one loss to demoralise us. This is the message. With Tinubu, the APC will show the world how elections are best won democratically next year.”