With less than 48 hours to the Osun State governorship election, President Bola Tinubu has assured voters of adequate security and urged them to turn out and exercise their franchise without fear of intimidation or harassment, even as the state governor linked a killing at Esa-Oke to a senator’s campaign directive and civil society organisations reported dozens of deaths in the run-up to the poll.
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The assurance was conveyed by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday at the All Progressives Congress mega rally at Freedom Park, Osogbo, where he rallied support for the party’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Speaking for the President, Akpabio told the electorate that security arrangements were in place.
“On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, let me simply say hello to the good people of Osun State. The President has asked me to come and greet you. He said I should enjoin you to remain peaceful,” he said.
“The President is saying that he has put enough security measures in place for the good people of Osun State to vote peacefully come Saturday, August 15, 2026. Nobody is going to be harassed.”
He continued: “This is a pointer to the fact that he truly believes in democracy and democratic governance. This is a man who has spent two-thirds of his life fighting for democracy. Today, God has placed him as the leader of this nation, and he is not ready to allow any group of people to undermine democracy or molest any citizen.”
He added: “So, to the good people of Osun State, feel free to go out and exercise your franchise on Saturday. Feel free to go out and vote for the candidate of your choice. Feel free to go out and ensure that you vote for the party of your choice.”
The President’s own words, as relayed, were in similar terms. “Let me assure all Osun indigenes that adequate security has been provided all over the state to ensure people come out to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice without any fear or intimidation,” he stated.
“Feel very free to cast your votes for the candidate of your choice. My advice, however, is that you choose wisely, because there is need to link Osun State to the centre. We are waiting for Osun to join us. I can assure you that nobody will molest you. You can only be molested on social media and not during voting. Nobody will harass or intimidate one another. Go out and vote a party of your choice and choose wisely.”
Akpabio urged voters to align the state with the centre. “There is a need for you to link Osun State with the centre. Over 30 governors are already in the APC. We are waiting for Osun State. Are you ready to join? Are you ready to vote? Are you coming? Please, don’t feel intimidated. Social media is not the same thing as polling units. We are saying, go to the polling unit. You will not be molested. Even if you are being attacked on social media, I think you should exercise restraint.”
At The Rally
Akpabio presented the party flag to Oyebamiji, describing it as “the flag of authority and power” and telling the candidate, “This is your symbol of your authority.”
A statement by his media office said the President expressed confidence in the party’s prospects. “From the crowd here today, I am more than convinced that APC is the dominant party in Osun State,” he said, citing the presence of Chief Bisi Akande, former party National Secretary Iyiola Omisore, and Senator Fadahunsi.
Akpabio thanked opposition figures who had backed the candidate, including, he said, those led by the former governor and PDP chieftain, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and referred to a reported endorsement by Accord Party figures in the state.
He also challenged the candidate on infrastructure. “On a personal note, I am not impressed by the condition of roads from Ibadan to this state. Osun deserves more than this. Osun should be better than what we have now,” he said, urging Oyebamiji to “transform Osun State through the provision of quality infrastructure and delivery of true dividends of democracy from his very first day in office.”
The Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the candidate’s closeness to the President would attract federal presence to the state. The Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, Secretary of the APC National Campaign Council for the election, said the state “has enormous potential and enormous resources, both natural and human. But the problem is that it doesn’t have a governor to harness these resources.”
The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said the party “is not known for violence, trouble and intimidation, but is built on good ideology.” The Lagos State Governor and Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also joined the campaign. Oyebamiji thanked the National Working Committee and promised an inclusive government.
Others present included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Adams Oshiomhole; and the governors of Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Kogi and Yobe States.
“Somebody Was Killed At Esa-Oke, His Own Zone”
Governor Ademola Adeleke condemned the killings at Esa-Oke and the destruction of property that followed, commiserating with the families of the deceased and other victims of political violence across the state, and directing security agencies to intensify operations in the area and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
He described the incident as a consequence of reckless political incitement.
“We all have families and friends. We should not preach violence. Senator Fadahunsi issued a killing directive; the next day, somebody was killed at Esa-Oke, his own zone,” the governor said.
He also commiserated with the families of more than 15 Accord members reportedly killed so far, and with those whose homes were raided.
“Aside Esa-Oke, over 20 homes of Accord members were raided last night at Ikire. Some were illegally arrested while houses of others were vandalised. This is not politics again,” he said.
He added: “I challenge our opponents to let us fight through the ballot. Since we are practising democracy, we must allow our people to vote. My strength and that of my party is God and the people. We are winning on Saturday.”
The governor urged the people of Esa-Oke and Ijeshaland to resist attacks and counter-attacks, and warned against politicians who exploit political differences to shed blood.
IGP Bars State Security Outfits From Election Duty
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, prohibited state-established security outfits, quasi-security groups and private security organisations from participating in election-security duties, stating that the prohibition is consistent with established Force directives.
He reiterated the ban on armed escorts, security aides and other unauthorised persons accompanying political figures or VIPs to polling units or collation centres, and warned that ballot snatching, voter intimidation, political thuggery and other electoral offences would attract prompt arrest and prosecution.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ishyaku Mohammed has been deployed to coordinate election-security operations, working with other agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, supported by Assistant Inspectors-General and Commissioners across the three senatorial districts.
“The Force has put in place adequate security arrangements for the protection of voters, INEC personnel, election materials, polling units, collation centres, accredited observers and media practitioners before, during and after the election,” the statement, issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, directed personnel deployed to the state to remain apolitical and impartial. The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, warned officers against partisanship, intimidation of voters, extortion, harassment, unnecessary use of force, abandonment of duty posts and consumption of alcohol on duty.
“Resign Now, You Have A Killer’s Mind”
A member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Kanmi Ajibola, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilesa Branch, has given Senator Francis Fadahunsi 30 days to resign over the directive to supporters to kill members of the Accord Party in Ilesa, warning that a refusal would be met with legal action.
The letter, signed by his counsel, Ekene Amadi, and titled “Resign now, you have a killer’s mind and lacking strength of character for public office representation,” was copied to President Tinubu and the Senate President. In it, Ajibola stated that the senator had been threatening to deal with Accord Party members since October last year.
He noted that both men come from the same constituency and belonged to the People’s Democratic Party before parting ways, the senator defecting to the APC while he moved to the Accord Party, and said that he and other PDP members had worked for the senator’s electoral victories in 2019 and 2023.
The senator has maintained that he was quoted out of context.
“Investigate The 73 Incidents And The 29 Deaths”
The Revolutionary Socialist Movement called for an immediate investigation into 29 deaths reportedly linked to 73 incidents of electoral violence in the state, and for a transparent investigation into the death threats attributed to the senator.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Salako Kayode, the group said no politician, regardless of affiliation or position, should be permitted to use threats, intimidation or violence against opponents without consequence. “Such threats must not be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric,” it said, insisting that prosecution should follow if the allegations are substantiated.
CISLAC Flags Military Deployment To INEC Office
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre raised concerns over the growing threat of electoral violence, political intimidation and vote buying, and particularly over reports of armed military personnel deployed to the state office of INEC.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the organisation said that while extraordinary measures may be necessary where there are credible threats, any military deployment connected with an electoral process “must have a clear legal and operational basis, remain strictly within its defined mandate, and be guided by the principles of neutrality, proportionality and respect for the rights of citizens.”
It urged the authorities to communicate the purpose, scope and legal basis of the presence, and to ensure it does not interfere with the independence of electoral officials, intimidate voters or undermine confidence in the neutrality of the process. It also raised concern over the killing of a 14-year-old boy, Ezekiel Olapade, in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, reportedly struck by a stray bullet during a clash.
Yiaga Africa: Late SDP Inclusion Raises Fears Of Delay
Yiaga Africa raised concerns over possible delays in the distribution of election materials following the last-minute, court-ordered inclusion of the Social Democratic Party in the poll.
The Chairman of its 2026 Osun Election Observation Mission, Dr Asmau Maikudi, said the development had disrupted INEC’s deployment schedule and that the shortened timeframe could affect movement of materials to Registration Area Centres and polling units.
“Yiaga Africa is concerned that such late judicial interventions create avoidable operational pressure and heighten the risk of delayed deployment, logistical errors and late commencement of polls,” she said. “While compliance with court orders is obligatory, judicial decisions delivered at the eleventh hour can impose significant administrative costs on election management and potentially undermine public confidence in the process.”
She also urged INEC to resolve outstanding issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, noting that the mock accreditation exercise exposed devices that failed to recognise fingerprints, facial features and older PVC records, which the Commission attributed to an excessively high compatibility threshold affecting records not revalidated. “If unresolved, these failures could disenfranchise eligible voters, generate tension at polling units and undermine confidence in the credibility and legitimacy of the election,” she said.
The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness raised similar concerns in a pre-election report signed by its Director-General, Dr Nwambu Gabriel, noting that continuous voter registration had raised the register in the state from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233, an addition of about 384,000 voters. “The electorate expects a seamless accreditation process. The mock exercise should build confidence rather than create doubts about the credibility of the election,” the report stated.
“Who Authorised The Ebonyi REC’s Presence In Osun?”
The Imole Campaign Council raised the alarm over the alleged deployment of un-customised ballot papers and result sheets, and the reported unofficial presence in the state of the Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Pauline Ugoyenka.
In a statement by the Chairman of its Media and Publicity Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, the Council said the official was not on the list of Resident Electoral Commissioners deployed to Osun but was lodged at a hotel in Osogbo, and alleged she had previously been lodged elsewhere in the city.
Salam said an INEC letter dated 3 August 2026, addressed to Resident Electoral Commissioners from 15 contributing states, identified the officials and states providing supervision contingents for Osun, and that Ebonyi is not on that list.
“So, who authorised Mrs Pauline Ugoyenka’s presence in Osun, and what exactly is she doing here? This is an election, not a covert operation. INEC must immediately explain her role, authority and activities in Osun and publish the full list of all officials deployed for the election,” he said.
He added: “We demand immediate exit of the Ebonyi REC as she was not posted here for any official duties,” and sought clarification on why materials meant for the election would not be duly customised.
PDP Backs Adeleke After Appeal Court Judgment
The Tanimu Turaki-led People’s Democratic Party welcomed a Court of Appeal judgment upholding the nomination of Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola as its governorship candidate and directing INEC to include the party’s logo on the ballot.
In a statement by Ini Ememobong for the Interim National Working Committee, the party said the court held that, the party having conducted primaries monitored by INEC and forwarded the winner’s name, there was no legal impediment to the candidate’s participation, and that the access code for nomination on the portal “was a mere administrative formality which cannot override the statutory provision of forwarding names to the commission.”
The party nonetheless said the relief came too late. “Though justice has finally been done, in this case the grant of justice is akin to a denial, as there is no opportunity for our candidate to undertake campaigns in preparation for the elections.”
It alleged partiality on the Commission’s part, and announced that after consultations it had decided to support Governor Adeleke. “We therefore ask all our members to vote for Governor Adeleke. We encourage them to go out on Saturday to vote, defend their votes and ensure that their votes count.”
Accord Dismisses Imumolen’s Endorsement
The national leadership of the Accord Party dismissed the endorsement of the APC candidate by its expelled former presidential candidate, Chris Imumolen.
In a statement by its National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, the party said Imumolen no longer represents it in any capacity and cannot speak for it, and that its description of him as a “factional chairman” was false since the party has no faction. “That Imumolen attended the APC rally in Osogbo where he backed its candidate is a glaring testament that he is not a member of Accord,” Mgbudem said.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Omorogbe, said it would resist any foul play. “Any foul play in the election will be resisted because the mandate and interest of the people is in Adeleke,” he said.
“Don’t Turn Yorubaland Into A Killing Field”
Yoruba for Democratic Values condemned the inflammatory statements and threats trailing the campaign.
“Yorubaland must not be turned into a killing field simply because politicians are competing for political power. A voter’s card is a democratic instrument, not a weapon of war, and no election is worth the blood of a single Yoruba son or daughter,” the group said.
It added that politics “should be a contest of ideas, programmes, character and competence, not a contest of violence, bloodshed and intimidation,” and warned that reckless utterances “can create an atmosphere of fear, deepen political divisions, encourage the activities of thugs and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.”
The Ijesa South Federal Constituency campaign council, at a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Dosu, sought to reassure residents. “Our primary objective is to allay any fears regarding the security architecture for the upcoming governorship election,” he said. “Your safety is guaranteed, and your vote will count.”
Edo Government Replies Adeleke
The Edo State Government criticised Governor Adeleke over his response to Governor Monday Okpebholo, who had mocked him as a “dancing governor” while campaigning in Osun.
Adeleke had described himself as “a bulldozer” and faulted his Edo counterpart for entering the state without clearance. “Some of them are well educated, not like Governor Okpebholo who came to my state. What kind of name is that? You came to my state without clearance from me. These people are not civilised,” he said.
The Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, defended the visit at a briefing in Benin. “People have been asking, what is the business of the Edo governor in Osun? The question is, what is wrong to go and campaign for his own party member who is also contesting the election? He needed to show solidarity.”
Afegbua also criticised the singer Davido, saying he ought to be in the studio. “He has forgotten that people who buy and listen to his songs are not members of our party alone. So people should know where to draw the line.”
He particularly objected to a reported threat to write to the President of the United States. “The most annoying statement he made was that he was going to write to Donald Trump. Can you imagine the extent people can go when it comes to our democracy? We will sell ourselves as slaves to foreigners in the name of trying to court relevance.”
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