VIVA: IT’S LULA IN BRAZIL – Aregbesola Celebrates President’s Re-election, Explains Why

Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has celebrated Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election, describing it as a victory for the working class and a setback for right-wing political forces in Latin America.

Aregbesola, in a statement titled “VIVA: IT’S LULA IN BRAZIL”, said Lula’s victory represented a reversal of the momentum gained by the political right following the first round of voting.

“The people of Brazil asserted their will in the presidential election runoff,” he said, describing the outcome as “a remarkable victory for popular forces” who had been stunned by the first-round performance of right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.

Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court announced Lula’s victory on Sunday, October 25, 2026, after a closely contested runoff against Bolsonaro, the candidate of the Liberal Party.

The electoral authority declared Lula the winner with 51.79 per cent of valid votes, representing 64,256,232 votes, while Bolsonaro polled 48.21 per cent, or 59,826,041 votes.

The result secured a fourth, non-consecutive presidential term for Lula, who previously governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 and returned to office in January 2023.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the election, Aregbesola said voting was extended by two hours following requests from both political camps.

He said the Workers’ Party, PT, which sponsored Lula, sought an extension because of transportation difficulties in some of its strongholds, while Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party requested additional time because of inclement weather in areas where it enjoyed support.

Aregbesola said the result was declared at about 9:13 p.m. Brasília time, barely two hours after voting ended.

Interpreting the outcome beyond Brazil’s domestic politics, the ADC national secretary argued that Lula’s victory had halted the recent advance of right-wing political parties across Central and South America.

“Sunday’s victory means that the winning streak of right-wing political parties in Central and South America has been firmly arrested,” he said.

He also declared that “the assault on BRICS is neutralised”, adding that the result had checked what he described as “the triumphant march of corporate interests and oligarchy in Latin America”.

BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, alongside additional members admitted in subsequent expansions.

Brazil’s continued leadership under Lula is significant to the bloc’s political and economic direction, although the election result alone does not determine its future.

For Aregbesola, the broader significance of the election lies in its implications for workers and popular movements.

“Lula has secured an unprecedented victory by retaining the presidency of Latin America’s largest country, denying a crucial win to the region’s right wing,” he said.

He added: “It is a victory for the working class of Brazil and the world.”

Aregbesola, who served as Osun governor from 2010 to 2018 and as Minister of Interior under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is now a leading figure in the ADC, where he serves as national secretary.

His celebration of Lula’s victory reflects his current alignment with an opposition party that has criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and sought to build an alternative political platform ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Aregbesola’s opener, “VIVA: IT’S LULA IN BRAZIL” is an expression of celebration and political enthusiasm for Lula’s victory.

The overall meaning is described as “Long live Lula! Brazil has chosen Lula!”.