More than 2.3 million registered voters in Osun State are expected to go to the polls on Saturday, August 15, to elect a governor for the next four years. With 14 candidates on the ballot, voters have a clear choice: give Governor Ademola Adeleke another term or entrust the state to one of the challengers.
The contest has, however, largely narrowed to three major candidates: Adeleke of the Accord Party, the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Bola Oyebamiji and the African Democratic Congress’ (ADC) Najeem Salam.
Beyond the candidates and their campaigns, the circumstances surrounding the election have become a source of concern. Reports of political violence, allegations of intimidation and increasingly bitter exchanges between the major political camps are troubling signs that could undermine an otherwise competitive electoral process.
The situation became serious enough for Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to visit Osun in July and warn political parties and their supporters against violence. Governor Adeleke has repeatedly accused the state police command of bias, while the police have maintained that their responsibility is to provide security for all.
These allegations should neither be dismissed as routine campaign rhetoric nor accepted as facts without evidence. They should reinforce the need for security agencies to conduct themselves in a manner that leaves no room for suspicion. The police must enforce the law impartially and investigate acts of violence regardless of the political affiliation of those involved. No candidate or party should enjoy an unfair advantage through the coercive power of the state.
This is particularly important given the national dimension of the Osun contest. APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji has publicly described himself as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s endorsed candidate, while the party has repeatedly emphasised the President’s support for its candidate. This is not unexpected, given that the President is the leader of the party and is widely reported to trace his ancestral roots to the state.
Such political backing is legitimate in a partisan contest. It also makes the neutrality of federal institutions even more important. President Tinubu must ensure that institutions under his government do not create the impression that the machinery of the Federal Government is being deployed to secure a particular electoral outcome.
The same standard must apply to the opposition. Allegations of rigging, vote-buying or intimidation should not become substitutes for evidence. Neither the incumbent nor his challengers should be allowed to exploit public suspicion in a way that undermines confidence in the electoral process.
There are also legitimate concerns surrounding the prolonged dispute over local government administration and finances in Osun. The controversy has deepened the political confrontation between the state and federal authorities. This makes it even more important for federal institutions to act with scrupulous neutrality in the period before the election.
The activities of anti-corruption agencies also deserve scrutiny. This is not to suggest that the EFCC or any other agency should suspend legitimate investigations simply because an election is approaching. Enforcement actions must, however, be based on evidence, follow due process and be carried out in a manner that does not create the impression of political interference.
It is against this background that we vehemently oppose the EFCC’s decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s account last week, just days before the election. Whatever the merits of the commission’s underlying investigation, the timing could hardly have been worse. An action of such consequence, taken so close to an election, inevitably raises questions about its possible impact on the electoral process and the political neutrality of the anti-graft agency.
The conduct of the Osun election, therefore, matters beyond the state.
Coming only months before the 2027 general elections, it will inevitably be viewed as an indication of how Nigeria’s electoral institutions and security agencies intend to conduct themselves in the next electoral cycle. It should be treated as more than another off-cycle governorship election. It is an important test of the country’s democratic institutions.
It must be stressed, however, that our concern at Daily Trust is not based on the assumption that an election is credible only when an opposition party wins. That would be equally dangerous. During the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC both won and lost off-cycle elections. What matters is not which party wins, but whether the winner genuinely reflects the will of the people.
The responsibility rests on all stakeholders. INEC must ensure that the electoral process is transparent, properly administered and resistant to manipulation. Security agencies must protect voters, electoral officials and materials without favour or intimidation. Political parties and candidates must restrain their supporters and accept that political victory cannot justify violence.
Above all, Osun voters must not be driven away from the ballot box by fear. Voter apathy induced by insecurity would be an unacceptable victory for those who seek to subvert democracy through intimidation.
The choice on August 15 belongs to the people of Osun. The institutions of state must ensure that they can exercise that choice freely, safely and without interference. The outcome should be allowed to stand, regardless of which party wins, if it reflects the genuine will of the electorate.