The National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dayo Israel, has berated the party for dismissing Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke because of his dancing skills.
NEWSNGR reports that Adeleke won Saturday’s Osun governorship election after polling 511,067 votes, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.
Speaking on Facebook on Sunday, Israel said the governor used his entertaining skills to connect with the grassroots.
He asserted that Adeleke’s ability to sing, dance and interact closely with the grassroots should not have been dismissed by political opponents.
He noted that the election outcome should prompt the APC to examine how it campaigns and connects with voters ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Governor Adeleke’s dancing was never a weakness. It was a political language. It humanised him, made him accessible, and created emotional proximity with ordinary voters,” he said.
Israel said Adeleke’s singing, dancing, and accessibility created an emotional connection that some political analyses failed to recognise.
“Politics is not only policy. It is emotion, identity, presence and belonging.
“Our party must therefore stop confusing sophistication with electoral value. A candidate may dominate elite discourse and still fail to move a ward. Another may be mocked in elite spaces and still command overwhelming loyalty on the ground,” he said.
Israel also applauded Davido for helping the governor mobilise young people for the campaign.
He said Davido used his influence, networks, music and digital reach to connect the campaign with a younger generation.
“Davido did not treat his role as symbolic. He was placed at the centre of youth mobilisation and used his influence, networks, music, digital reach and personal credibility to connect the campaign to a generation,” Isreal said.
The APC youth leader questioned whether his party had equivalent young personalities capable of mobilising young voters.
“Who are the Davidos in the APC?,” he asked.
“President Tinubu gave us a democratic contest. Governor Adeleke understood his people. Davido understood his generation.
“The question is whether the APC understands its own lesson,” he added.
