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 real tests for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that political credibility is earned through electoral performance, not rhetoric.

Sowunmi stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, amid growing public discourse around emerging opposition platforms.

Responding to suggestions that the ADC is positioning itself as a rescue platform for Nigerians, Sowunmi dismissed the narrative, arguing that electoral outcomes, not public declarations, would determine the party’s relevance.

“I don’t think so. Look, the first test they’re going to have will be in Osun and then Ekiti, whichever comes first. And then they’re going to learn that these things don’t yield to the noise that they are making,” he said on Thursday.

He cautioned against premature conclusions about the party’s prospects, noting that political organisations require time to shed entrenched habits and internal contradictions.

“I have a lot of opinions on the ADC, but I think it is a bit too early. One must be careful not to injure an already injured effort. I think it is injured because it takes time to purge yourself of your attitude. We are human beings; we are creatures of character and habits. The habits you pick over the years, if no one tells you they are bad, you will continue to use them,” Sowunmi said.

The PDP chieftain also criticised what he described as “early signs” of entitlement within the party’s structure.

“You have not even gotten past the goal line. You already have very heavy conversations of entitlement from those who think they must be given tickets even before they join,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Ekiti governorship election for June 20, 2026, while Osun’s will hold on August 8, 2026.

INEC also released timelines for party primaries, candidate publication and campaign activities, describing them as key tests ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission says it is implementing measures to enhance credibility, including the deployment of Resident Electoral Commissioners outside their states of origin and further refinements to election technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Major political parties, including the APC and PDP, are already mobilising for the contests. The election is just less than a year away from the 2027 presidential election. (Channels TV)