The political atmosphere in Osun State ahead of Saturday, August 15, 2026, off-cycle governorship election is nothing short of alarming. An Election which should normally be a vibrant display of democratic choice for the electorate and contestation of ideas among political parties has instead descended into a state of virtual warfare. The healthy debate of superior ideas, agenda, policies and programme during electioneering by the different political parties has been replaced by threats and intimidation. The toxic political climate has pushed the State to the edge, leaving residents in a state of constant fear.
The human cost has been devastating. Available records from Amnesty International report 29 pre-election deaths, surpassing the violence witnessed in 2022. The two major political parties, Accord Party and the All Progressive Congress (APC), have officially reported higher casualty figures of 29 and 47 members’ deaths, respectively.
Worse still, the Resident Electoral Commissioner REC) in the state, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, in a frightening disclosure, stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified 385 flashpoints in the state. Civil society groups, including Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), have raised similar concerns bordering on the collapsing security situation.
The National Association of Seadogs, Pyrates Confraternity (NAS/PC) strongly condemns this descent into lawlessness. To be sure, democracy cannot thrive under the shadow of weaponised institutions and voter inducement. Democracy can only survive when the electorate are allowed to freely exercise their franchise. The resort to weaponisation of state institutions, harassment of political opponents, intimidation and inducement of the electorate undermines democracy and breeds anarchy. Genuine democrats with a desire to serve the people will not encourage hatred and bloodshed that have become permanent features of the politics of Osun State.
We call on President Bola Tinubu to act as a true Commander-in- Chief by ensuring a level playing field for all the governorship candidates in Saturday’s governorship election. He bears the greatest responsibility to ensure the protection of the electorate in Osun and dismantle every notion of the deployment of ‘’Federal Might’’ to suppress the will of the people. He should, as a matter of urgency, give a clear and definitive directive to all security agencies and anti-graft agencies to ensure a credible, free and fair election, just like he did recently with a swift order to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the accounts of Osun State Government which had been illegally frozen. President Bola Tinubu should rise to the occasion as a statesman and resist the temptation to give undue advantage to his political party using State apparatus.
Saturday’s off-cycle Osun governorship election serves as a critical bellwether, presenting INEC with a golden opportunity to restore public confidence in its ability to deliver a credible and transparent election. Undoubtedly, the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, has explicitly assured residents of Osun State that their votes will be protected. Now is the time to match action with words. INEC cannot afford to fumble. To honour its commitment to the electorate in Osun, INEC must execute every stage of the process flawlessly, from logistical deployment of materials to the unquestionable conduct and integrity of its officials and the final declaration of results. The Electoral Commission must demonstrate its independence and impartiality by ensuring that every vote cast at the polling units is accurately recorded and protected. It must take necessary steps to prevent past irregularities such as the alteration of results, suspicious disappearance of electoral officers and result sheets.
Security agencies must prove their impartiality by protecting all eligible voters and their votesOsun. The Inspector- General of Police, Tunde Disu, has promised a hitch-free election; now he must deliver. For the sake of democratic integrity, the IGP must dismiss fears of illegal pre-election arrests and ensure his officers and men remain above the political fray. Security agencies owe their allegiance to Nigeria’s Constitution and not to any politician, political party or narrow interest. Every troublemaker, no matter how highly placed, must be held accountable.
Furthermore, the security operations in Osun during the election must be handled with precision. The security agencies should not, in the guise of ensuring a seamless election, militarise Osun State and frighten away voters from the polling units. The residents of Osun State should be allowed to vote without fear.
Osun State political actors must take immediate responsibility for their followers. For too long, the political class has fuelled discord for personal gain. It is time they restrain their supporters and prioritise peace over personal ambition. We call upon all governorship candidates and parties to demonstrate sportsmanship and respect the final results. Political thuggery is incompatible with Nigerian democracy, and any plans to use violence to influence the outcome of the elections must be abandoned immediately.
We appeal to residents of Osun to maintain law and order, and eschew violence. They should refrain from being used as cannon fodder. They should vote peacefully and defend their votes legitimately.
Osun State has seen enough bloodshed. The cycle of election-related violence must end. The people deserve a free and fair process, and their votes must count.
Dr Charles Meribole
NAS Cap’n
Abuja
