President Bola Tinubu has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State.
The election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, with 15 candidates contesting the governorship seat.
The major contenders include the incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke; the All Progressives Congress candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji; and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu urged INEC to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and ensure an orderly poll.
The President said, “The election must be transparent, free and fair. I urge INEC to ensure the integrity of the process.”
Tinubu described the Osun election as an opportunity for the electoral commission to demonstrate its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
He said, “INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians their full preparedness for the 2027 polls.”
The President also directed the Inspector-General of Police and other security chiefs deployed for the election to provide adequate protection for voters and electoral officials.
He warned against any attempt to disrupt the exercise, saying, “No room should be allowed for troublemakers to disrupt the process.”
Tinubu further urged security agencies to protect voters and electoral officials from intimidation so they could carry out their civic responsibilities without fear.
He encouraged eligible voters to turn out and exercise their constitutional right while avoiding actions capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election.
The President said, “Voters should feel confident to go out in their numbers to vote for the candidate of their choice as all measures necessary to ensure a peaceful, free and fair election have been put in place.”
Tinubu stressed that the credibility of the poll would ultimately depend on whether the result reflects the choice of the people of Osun State.
He declared, “Our elections must be credible, and the outcome of the Osun Governorship election must reflect the will of the people.”
