D-Day In Osun: Adeleke, Oyebamiji, Others State Conditions For Accepting Poll Outcome

Use election to demonstrate readiness for 2027 polls, Tinubu tells INEC

ADEMU IDAKWO and JOSHUA DADA

The leading candidates in today’s governorship election in Osun State have expressed confidence in victory but outlined conditions that would determine whether they accept the outcome.

While insisting that they cannot lose the election, the candidates said the poll must be free, fair and transparent, with their supporters protected from intimidation.

The candidates include the Accord Party candidate and incumbent governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke; the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji; the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaami; and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr Francis Ajala.

The candidates said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must conduct a credible election that is not only acceptable to the political parties but also seen as free and fair by the electorate.

Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesman for the Imole Campaign Council, who spoke with one of our correspondents on Adeleke’s behalf, said the governor and members of his team were not contemplating defeat.

Similarly, the Osun State APC director of media and information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, dismissed suggestions that Oyebamiji could lose the election, saying the party was confident of victory.

The ADC also expressed confidence in its candidate, with its spokesman, Mr Oluwaseun Abosede, saying Salaami would emerge victorious.

Asked what the APC would do if the election did not go in its favour, Olabisi said, “We cannot lose the election. The reward for hard work is success, which is expected of our governorship candidate, Asiwaju Muniru Oyebamiji.

“Our members and supporters have been toiling day and night to win it. At the same time, Governor Adeleke was busy wining, dining and frolicking across the globe under the pretext of seeking foreign investors, with no luck for nearly four years. Our candidate is not a pretender; he is a serious contender who knows no failure.”

On the circumstances that could lead the APC to reject the election outcome, Olabisi said the party had confidence in INEC’s ability to conduct a credible poll.

“We are confident in INEC’s ability to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, as amended,” he said.

“Only if the commission jettisons the existing Electoral Act will there be any issues. We should not even discuss the circumstances under which we might reject the election outcome. When we reach the river, we shall devise a means to cross it.”

Olabisi said strict adherence to the Electoral Act would determine whether the election was free, fair, credible and inclusive.

“Our candidate is a serious contender who expects nothing short of victory at the polls. As I said earlier, the reward of hard work is success. Our candidate will definitely win the election. He has worked for it; he is well prepared. The people of the state love him. His supporters mill around him like ants to sugar,” he said.

Asked whether the APC would encourage its supporters to remain calm and pursue legal channels if the outcome was disputed, he said the party expected its candidate to win but would use the appropriate legal processes if necessary.

“We are not pessimists in our party, and we expect our candidate to win the election clearly. However, I agree that legal channels are part of the acceptable processes for the governorship election and could be used if necessary,” he said.

Also speaking, Olajengbesi told LEADERSHIP Weekend that Adeleke and members of his political party, Accord, were not considering the possibility of defeat.

“Adeleke, our candidate, can’t be defeated. No one can defeat Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun State today. So, we don’t even contemplate defeat,” he said.

He added, “If our candidate is not announced, it would mean that someone somewhere sat down, wrote a result and announced it to the public, which is highly unlikely and will not happen in Osun State. My message to my supporters is to come out and vote. They should come out en masse, vote and remain peaceful.”

On the conditions for accepting the result, Olajengbesi said the Accord Party would respect the will of the people, which he claimed was already clear in Adeleke’s favour.

He, however, said the party would expect security agencies to provide a neutral and level playing field while INEC remained transparent throughout the electoral process.

“One factor that will make us regard this election as credible is for the security agencies to provide a neutral, level playing field and for INEC to be transparent in its dealings throughout the electoral process. We are not anticipating any defeat. We will win,” he said.

The ADC, on its part, raised concerns over INEC’s conduct ahead of the election.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend on the telephone, Abosede alleged that INEC had failed to issue accreditation permits to some of the party’s polling agents.

He, however, said that the party’s major condition for accepting the result was for INEC to conduct a transparent and credible election.

“What INEC does, what security agencies do, what the state and federal governments do will determine our acceptance of the outcome of the election. Let’s wait till then,” Abosede said.

Other candidates in the election are Olanrewaju Farinloye (AA), Essan Olajide (AAC), Adeagbo Opawole Yemisi (ADP), Aderemi-Doro Adesina Olusanya (APGA), Adebayo Simeon Adewale (APM) and Adesuyi Banji Clement (APP).

Others are Adeleke Adesoji Masilo (BP), Adeleke Adewole Taofeek (NNPP), Salifu Razaq Oyelami (PRP), Ogunsakin Olalekan (YPP) and Adesuyi John Olufemi (ZLP).

Police Deploy Air, Drone Units, Promise Adequate Security

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has assured residents of Osun State of adequate security during today’s governorship election.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Edem Iniedu, gave the assurance while addressing a press conference on Friday in Osogbo, the state capital.

Iniedu said police personnel had been deployed across the state to ensure a peaceful and credible poll, adding that air and drone units had also been deployed and commenced surveillance operations.

He further revealed that a unit of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) had been deployed in each of the 30 local government areas, with operations coordinated by commissioners and deputy commissioners of police.

According to him, two units of armed PMF personnel had also been deployed to the INEC office to assist with the movement of electoral materials and other critical operations.

He added that seven Special Protection Units personnel would oversee the movement of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials and protect electoral officers.

“At the command, we have two units of armed mobile force personnel for quick response. We also have pockets of armed patrols around the town at various checkpoints,” he said.

Iniedu said the police were working with other security agencies to protect citizens, electoral officers and materials throughout the election period.

He added that administrative and oversight mechanisms had been put in place to ensure that police personnel complied with electoral laws and conducted themselves professionally.

The police spokesperson disclosed that a 24-hour call centre had been established to receive complaints of professional misconduct by police officers and other law enforcement personnel during the election.

He said such complaints would be investigated and appropriate sanctions imposed on officers found culpable of violating electoral laws.

Iniedu further disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, had directed that each polling unit in the state be manned by four police officers, alongside personnel from other security agencies.

He urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that adequate security measures had been put in place across the state.

He also announced that vehicular movement would be restricted across the state from midnight on Friday until Saturday as part of measures to ensure a peaceful election.

Iniedu urged parents and guardians to ensure that underage children and unregistered voters stayed away from polling stations, stressing that the police would not tolerate underage voting or other forms of electoral misconduct.

He also warned against vote-buying, saying the Inspector-General of Police had directed that anyone caught buying or selling votes would be arrested and prosecuted immediately.

He urged all stakeholders and residents to comply with electoral laws and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a peaceful and orderly governorship election.