Calm In Osun Amid Tight Security Ahead Of Today’s Poll

BY DAMILOLA ORIGBEMISUYI, ADEBAYO WAHEED, Osun

Despite the heavy security presence across Osun State ahead of today’s election, the state remained calm yesterday, even as the electorate made final preparations for the poll.

Security operatives comprising the military, police, Civil Defence and other paramilitary agencies had been deployed to the 30 local government areas across the state.

Specifically, the Nigerian Police Force on Thursday said as many as 30 commissioners of police would be on duty during the election. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps disclosed that it would deploy over 10,000 personnel for the election.

Our correspondent, who visited the state police command headquarters and the Oke Fia Police Post, reports that police personnel were being deployed to their primary assignments yesterday.

A visit to the INEC headquarters in Osogbo also saw the deployment of police personnel to their assigned posts. According to the arrangement, each polling unit in the state would have three police personnel assigned to it.

Also, military personnel were seen patrolling major streets of the state capital, Osogbo, just as residents went about their normal business activities unhindered.

LEADERSHIP Weekend also observed increased movement of police vehicles in parts of Osun East yesterday, with security operatives intensifying patrols.

The general situation in the senatorial district was calm, while residents made final preparations for the poll.

LEADERSHIP Weekend also reports a calm atmosphere in Osun West amid a heavy security presence.

Meanwhile, voters in Osun East Senatorial District expressed readiness to participate in Saturday’s election, saying they were prepared to come out and cast their ballots for their preferred candidates.

A businessman in Ife Central Local Government Area of the state, Adebayo Michael, said he had made up his mind on the candidate he would support and would come out to vote.

“I will come out tomorrow to vote. I have made up my mind, and I want to exercise my right as a citizen,” he said.

Similarly, a taxi driver who identified himself as Ogunniyi Tunde said he was ready to participate in the election and urged eligible voters to come out and vote peacefully.

“I am ready for the election, and I will come out to vote. Everybody should vote for the candidate of his or her choice and return home peacefully,” he said.

However, another eligible voter, who identified himself only as Seun, said he would first assess the situation before deciding whether to come out, stressing that his priority was his safety.

“I want to vote, but I will first observe what is happening on the ground tomorrow. If the situation is calm and safe, I will come out to vote; if it is not safe, I will stay indoors. I cannot kill myself for any politician,” he said.

In Ede, the governor’s hometown, some residents who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend said they would support their son.

A resident of the area, Madam Folake Ajayi, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that voters would come en masse for the polls.

Another resident, Mr Ajayi Olawale, said it was better for the people to allow the governor to complete his second term because he had brought development to the senatorial district.

He added, “It is good for all politicians to ensure peace before, during and after the election.

“Nothing good will come out of violence,” he said.

Yiaga Africa Says Osun Poll Will Serve As Test For 2027 Election

Earlier yesterday, Yiaga Africa declared that the Osun election would serve as a critical test of Nigeria’s electoral preparedness ahead of the 2027 general election, citing growing concerns over security, election technology, court orders, voter inducement and public confidence in the process.

The Chairperson of the Osun Election Observation Mission of Yiaga Africa, Dr Asmau Maikudi, and the organisation’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, raised the concerns at a pre-election press conference in Osogbo.

The election observation group said the governorship election was more than a contest for political power in Osun State, describing it as an important indicator of how prepared the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political actors were for the country’s next nationwide elections.

Yiaga said the election would provide one of the first major tests of key reforms introduced under the Electoral Act 2026, including the use of downloadable Permanent Voter Cards and the electronic management and validation of polling-unit results.

According to Yiaga Africa, although INEC had completed most of its preparatory activities, the credibility of the election would ultimately depend on how effectively the commission managed logistics, technology and election-day operations.

The group also expressed concern over the last-minute inclusion of the Social Democratic Party candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, following a Federal High Court ruling.

According to the report, the court’s decision compelled INEC to reprint ballot papers and result sheets, compressing the time available for the distribution of sensitive election materials.

Yiaga Africa warned that late judicial interventions could increase the risk of logistical failures and delays in the commencement of voting.

INEC said the election would be conducted across 3,763 polling units in the state’s 30 local government areas, with 4,427 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices deployed for the exercise.

Yiaga Africa expressed concern over the limited participation of women and persons with disabilities, noting that only one female candidate was participating in the race, while none of the candidates had publicly identified as a person with a disability.

The organisation also raised concerns over recent security developments in the state, warning that election-related violence had shifted from political rivalries and campaign clashes to direct attacks on electoral activities.

It specifically cited the attack on a PVC collection centre in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, politically motivated violence in Osogbo and disputes involving transport unions as developments that had heightened tensions ahead of the election.

Yiaga Africa further condemned what it described as the increasing use of inflammatory rhetoric and hate speech by political actors.

According to the organisation, such statements could worsen political tensions, encourage violence and further weaken public trust in the electoral process.

It urged security agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of electoral violence, threats and hate speech without political interference.

Another major concern identified in the report was the BVAS’s performance during INEC’s mock accreditation exercise.

The organisation disclosed that some devices experienced temporary difficulties in recognising fingerprints, facial features and older voter records.

Although INEC attributed the problem to compatibility issues involving older voter data, Yiaga Africa warned that unresolved technical failures could lead to voter disenfranchisement, delays and disputes at polling units.

The report also highlighted voter inducement as a significant threat to the integrity of the election.

The organisation said it had documented the distribution of money and gift items by political actors, adding that although some of the distributions were presented as social interventions, their timing raised concerns about attempts to influence voters.

It also observed that voter education programmes remained uneven across the state.

While voter awareness campaigns had increased since July 1, the organisation noted that women-focused programmes were observed in only two local government areas, while youth-focused initiatives were recorded in three.

Yiaga Africa warned that persistent violence, political tension and growing distrust in the electoral process could negatively affect voter turnout.

The organisation called on INEC to address all outstanding technical challenges in election technology and to activate contingency plans to avoid delays caused by the late arrival of revised election materials.

It also urged security agencies to maintain neutrality and professionalism throughout the election while respecting the rights of voters, journalists and election observers.

Political parties and their supporters were advised to abide by the terms of the peace accord, avoid inflammatory rhetoric and refrain from vote-buying.

As part of its election observation activities, Yiaga Africa said it would deploy 300 stationary observers and 32 mobile observers across all 30 local government areas in the state.