Tomorrow’s governorship election in Osun State will be free, fair and transparent, the electoral umpire pledged yesterday.
It spoke as activities for the last off-cycle election before the 2027 general election climaxed.
Yesterday, ballot papers and result sheets arrived in Osogbo, the state capital.
They were sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office, from where they will be distributed to other parts of the state today.
The ballot papers and result sheets were reprinted following a court judgment which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put the name of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot.
With this addition, 15 candidates are now in the race.
The election will hold in 332 wards spread across 30 local government areas.
“The Commission reassures political parties, civil society organisations, media and the good people of Osun State of its total readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election,” National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said yesterday.
INEC confirmed that 1,906,390 eligible voters out of the 2,339,233 registered voters in Osun State are qualified to vote.
Haruna said the figure represents the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected, representing 81.5 per cent.
Haruna added: “The remaining 432,843 PVCs, representing 18.50 per cent, have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in line with the Commission’s established practice.
“Similarly, it should be noted that some persons with damaged, defaced or lost PVCs applied for replacement of their cards. A total of 6,101 among those who applied printed downloadable copies of their PVCs.
“A table of the PVCs collected, Polling Unit by Polling Unit (PU), has been published on the Commission’s website.”
The parties cleared to fight for the Abere Governor’s Office in Osogbo are Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Others are Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Tinubu urges peaceful poll
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urged stakeholders, including candidates, party leaders, the electorate, security officers and INEC, to be committed to a credible and peaceful poll.
In the run-up to the election, there have been reports of violence leading to the death of no fewer than 30 people, according to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) tracking the situation.
Yesterday, the police confirmed that a nephew of the Director-General of the APC campaign organisation and member of the House of Representatives, Wole Oke, was shot dead in Esa-Oke.
The President, who reiterated his commitment to democracy, told the huge crowd at the APC grand rally at Freedom Park, Osogbo, the state capital, that the state would be better under the leadership of the party’s candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO).
President Tinubu, who was represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urged voters to vote for the APC to savour development and progress.
APC grand rally
At the carnival-like rally were APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who presented the party flag and the symbol – the broom – to Oyebamiji; Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau; House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu; and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodinma (Imo State).
Also present were Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti); pioneer APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Senator Adams Oshiomhole; and APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru.
Also at the rally were Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat; his Delta counterpart, Monday Onyeme; Oyo APC governorship candidate, Senator Sarafadeen Alli; and Prof. Olu Aina.
A faction of Accord, on whose platform Governor Ademola Adeleke is running for re-election, stormed the rally to give support to the APC candidate.
Led by factional chairman Chris Imumolen, the Accord members described Oyebamiji as the best candidate.
However, Adeleke alleged the presence of unauthorised INEC officials and uncustomised ballot papers in the state, urging security agencies to be vigilant.
Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who recently led the Turaki group in the PDP to declare support for Oyebamiji, said he withdrew his support for Adeleke because of his lack of inclusive policies and programmes.
To prevent any breakdown of law and order, the police also beefed up security in Osogbo and vowed to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates the law.
How Osun can develop, by Tinubu
President Tinubu said Osun would savour development if its resources were properly channelled, urging Oyebamiji to embark on a massive infrastructure development programme that would transform the state if elected.
The President said Osun deserved better development, noting that increased financial resources accruing to state governments should translate into improved infrastructure and better living conditions for the people.
He said: “No state government today is owing salary or borrowing money for projects. Enough money is coming to the state. Osun should be better than what I’ve seen.
“You must transform Osun State. Show the people that development is part of politics. That is what they voted for. They voted for dividends of democracy.
“May God bless you and guide you as you use Osun money for Osun people. Transform the infrastructure as you join us at the centre.”
The President also expressed confidence that an Oyebamiji-led administration would work in synergy with the Federal Government to accelerate the development of the state.
He urged stakeholders to desist from violence, intimidation and harassment and embrace peace before, during and after the election.
President Tinubu said he had put in place enough security measures to ensure a free, fair and credible election on Saturday.
He said: “Nobody will harass or intimidate one another. Go out and vote for a party of your choice and choose wisely by voting for AMBO.”
The President said that, as someone who fought for good democracy, he would not allow anybody to destroy the already established democracy.
Uzodimma: vote without hindrance
Uzodinma, who chairs the APC National Campaign Committee, called for a peaceful poll.
He said: “We are not known for violence. Don’t join the ugly party to cause violence. We urge you to come out en masse to vote for AMBO and his deputy. We are here to give our support for him. We, the 31 governors, have come here to convince you to return the state to the progressives. Don’t look for trouble; you are already on the path of victory.”
AbdulRazaq urged the people to come out en masse and vote for the party’s candidate.
He said: “Oyebamiji is close to the President. Therefore, he would be able to attract more Federal Government presence to the state and would not disappoint the people of the state.”
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin urged the voters to make Oyebamiji the 32nd governor of the APC. He also spoke in Hausa to woo votes for AMBO.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu also spoke in Igbo to appeal for support.
Oshiomhole, who spoke in English, pidgin and smattering Yoruba, wowed the crowd, saying Adeleke had failed to deliver and urging voters to vote for Oyebamiji.
The APC candidate thanked the APC National Working Committee (NWC) for its support, describing the party as well-structured.
He also thanked the governors and party leaders for their backing.
He promised to preside over an inclusive government that would promote even development in the state.
The rally was attended by a huge crowd that responded to comments and songs by APC leaders.
Adeleke alleges unauthorised INEC officials, uncustomised ballot papers
Adeleke alleged the deployment of uncustomised ballot papers and result sheets, as well as the presence of unauthorised electoral staff in the state.
Chairman of the Imole Campaign Organisation and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, said in a statement: “The Imole Campaign Council has raised the alarm over the alleged deployment of uncustomised ballot papers and result sheets and the reported unofficial presence of the Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Pauline Ugoyenka, in Osun State.
“Mrs Ugoyenka, an ICT expert and a close confidant of Governor Hope Uzodinma, was not on the list of Resident Electoral Commissioners deployed to Osun State.”
ADC chairman, exco members join APC
Some members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ila Local Government Area dumped the party for the APC.
A House of Representatives aspirant, Adeniyi Ismail Oluwatosin, who spoke during the defection ceremony, held at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office, Osogbo, said the APC was the answer in Osun.
They were welcomed by Oke, who promised that the defectors would be integrated into the party.
The defectors include Bamidele Babatunde Segun (Treasurer); Owolabi Isiaka (Chairman); Taiwo Jimoh Mojibola (State Exco); Ogundare Segun (Youth Leader); Ms Azeez Omolara (Women Leader); Ogunbambi Rasheed (Ward Chairman); Usman Nurudeen (Organising Secretary); Olayera Saheed (Ward 07 Chairman); Raji Muftau (Ward 3 Chairman); Adebayo Khadijat (Women Leader, Ward); and Ibraheem Tunde (L.G. Exco).
My grouse about Adeleke, by Oyinlola
Former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola explained yesterday why he withdrew his support for Accord candidate in tomorrow’s election, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He expressed disappointment with Adeleke’s leadership style, which, according to him, is at variance with the principles of the state’s founding fathers.
Speaking on television last night, Oyinlola alleged that more than 70 per cent of resources that accrued to the state under the incumbent governor had been spent on projects sited in his hometown, Ede South and Ede North local government areas.
According to the ex-governor, out of N352 billion that the government has spent on projects, N260.55 billion went to Ede alone.
He argued that the founding fathers of Osun envisioned a state where development would be evenly distributed, regardless of where a governor comes from.
“Adeleke’s approach undermines that vision by placing too much emphasis on his hometown,” the former governor said, stating that projects must be evenly distributed across the state.
He also alleged that political activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, before Adeleke defected to Accord, were moved to Ede.
This, he believed, weakened the sense of collective ownership of the party across the state.
He said: “I was governor; I never moved party machinery to Okuku.”
Oyinlola’s hometown is Okuku in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The one-time governor also faulted Adeleke’s public comments regarding the official vehicle given to him as a former governor.
He accused the governor of misunderstanding his statutory entitlement to an official car as a personal gesture.
Oyinlola explained that the vehicle was not a gift but a statutory entitlement under the Osun State Pension Law, which provides that former governors are entitled to an official vehicle every four years.
He maintained that Adeleke was only implementing an existing legal provision and should not take personal credit for it.
The former governor further criticised what he called a pattern of politicising routine government obligations, saying it created a misleading impression of generosity where none was due.
He cautioned that compliance with the law should not be turned into political propaganda.
Reiterating his concerns, Oyinlola said his position was not driven by personal differences but by what he considered important for the future of Osun State.
“Governance,” he noted, “should be based on fairness, inclusiveness, and respect for the state’s founding ideals rather than sectional interests.”
The former governor said he had no regrets supporting the APC candidate.
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