An old video of former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole has resurfaced online amid growing controversy surrounding the disputed presidential primaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The viral clip dates back to a 2018 press conference following the fiercely contested Osun State governorship rerun election.
During the briefing, Oshiomhole mistakenly stated that democracy requires people who can accept “the pain of rigging—of defeat,” before immediately correcting himself while responding to allegations of electoral irregularities raised by the opposition.
The moment became widely discussed at the time, especially as the governorship contest between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remained deeply controversial.
The Osun election was eventually upheld in favor of the APC after prolonged legal battles that ended with court rulings affirming the party’s narrow victory in 2020.
The video has now returned to public attention following the rejection of ADC primary results by former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Amaechi accused the ADC leadership of announcing “concocted” results and alleged widespread voter disenfranchisement, vote buying, and irregularities during the party’s direct presidential primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
Social media users quickly began circulating Oshiomhole’s old “rigging” slip as part of broader online commentary about electoral credibility and internal party democracy in Nigeria.
Many users sarcastically linked the resurfaced clip to current allegations emerging from the ADC primary process, while others used it to reignite discussions about the long-standing problem of electoral malpractice in Nigerian politics.
Supporters of Amaechi and other opposition figures argued that the recurring controversies demonstrate the urgent need for stronger safeguards to protect votes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Critics, however, accused politicians across different parties of only condemning electoral irregularities when they personally suffer political setbacks.
The renewed attention surrounding the clip also reflects growing public anxiety over election transparency, especially as artificial intelligence, misinformation, disputed primaries, and internal party conflicts increasingly shape Nigeria’s political climate.
Political analysts say issues surrounding electoral trust, result credibility, and voter confidence are likely to dominate political discourse as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.
