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.
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.
