August 09, (THEWILL) — As the hours tick by for the August 15, 2026 Osun State Governorship Election, stakeholders are busy reassuring citizens of the importance of their franchise as a prelude to the 2027 General Election.
Amid growing concerns over escalating political violence in parts of the state, political parties, the police and election observers have joined forces to prepare the electorate for a smooth participation in the election.
While the controversy surrounding the clampdown of the state government’s salary account has subsided with the prompt intervention of President Bola Tinubu. Fear over election related violence, which has so far claimed over 30 lives, is said to be casting doubts in the minds of the electorate.
Taking a frontal row in dealing with the pervasive anxiety, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, assured citizens of the state of comprehensive security before, during and after the governorship election.
He declared that the Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to protect voters, election officials and all stakeholders throughout the electoral process. The assurance came amid growing concerns over escalating political violence in parts of the state, with election observer group Yiaga Africa identifying 13 local government areas in the state as violence flashpoints and reported that at least 34 people have been killed in politically-related incidents ahead of the poll.
Speaking on the weekend during a stakeholders’ engagement on election security with civil society organisations, Disu urged eligible voters not to be intimidated by threats of violence, insisting that adequate security arrangements had been put in place to guarantee a peaceful, transparent and credible election.
The IGP disclosed that the police had concluded plans to secure more than 3,000 polling units across Osun State, with a minimum of four officers assigned to every polling station.
According to him, the extensive deployment forms part of a broader security architecture designed to safeguard voters, electoral officials, election materials and critical public infrastructure throughout the election period.
Disu assured residents that the Nigeria Police Force would remain professional, impartial and committed to protecting every citizen’s constitutional right to vote without intimidation or harassment.
He urged the electorate to troop out in large numbers and participate peacefully in the democratic process, assuring them that security agencies would remain vigilant before, during and after the election.
Expressing concern over recent clashes involving political supporters, the police chief lamented that existing cult-related activities in parts of Osun had worsened political tensions.
“We have issues of cultism in Osun already. It became easier for different parties to attack each other using the existing animosity in the state”, Disu said.
He explained that the escalation of violence compelled the Force Headquarters to review its operational strategy, including directing the state’s Commissioner of Police to step aside to allow another senior officer coordinate election security operations.
The IGP also announced that an Assistant Inspector-General of Police would be deployed to Osun to reinforce security coordination ahead of the governorship election.
Shortly after Disu’s meeting, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the governorship election, CP Samuel Erale Etaifo, brokered peace between the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to the strategic meeting with the leadership of both parties was to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“After deliberations, both parties reached an amicable resolution.”
‘Under the agreement, Accord Party will hold its final campaign rally on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Fakunle, while the APC will hold its own on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at Freedom Park.
The intervention came ahead of the August 15 governorship poll, following reports that both parties had scheduled their final rallies for the same period and in locations that could trigger confrontation.
CP Etaifo, however, commended the leadership of both parties for demonstrating maturity, patriotism and a commitment to peaceful democratic engagement by embracing dialogue over conflict. Earlier, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, described the Osun governorship election as a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, noting that it would serve as a major test of the country’s electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, the organisation’s election violence tracking has identified 13 local government areas as high-risk zones following persistent political clashes and killings. He disclosed that about 34 fatalities had already been recorded in election-related violence, warning that the trend posed a serious threat to voter confidence and democratic participation. Itodo identified Osogbo and Irewole as the two local government areas classified under the critical-risk category, while Iwo, Boripe, Ife-Central and Ife-East were listed among other high-risk areas requiring heightened security attention.
The Yiaga Africa boss urged the police and other security agencies to maintain strict neutrality throughout the election, warning against any action capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process. He stressed that the credibility of the governorship election would depend significantly on the conduct of security personnel.
According to him, security agencies must resist attempts by political actors to influence their operations and ensure that every political party and candidate receives equal treatment before, during and after the poll.
Itodo noted that with the Osun election regarded as Nigeria’s most significant off-cycle governorship contest ahead of the 2027 general election, the conduct of security agencies would send a strong signal about the country’s readiness to deliver credible elections. A week ago, election observer group raised concerns in a pre-election over what it describes as an emerging form of voter inducement in the state, alleging that personal data, including voters’ National Identification Numbers (NINs), Voter Identification Numbers (VINs) and bank account details, were collected months before electronic cash transfers were made to prospective voters ahead of the state’s governorship election.
The report said the alleged practice represents a significant shift from the conventional vote-buying methods commonly associated with Election Day, warning that it could prove more difficult for election observers and law enforcement agencies to detect.
According to Yiaga Africa’s Watching the Vote (WTV) pre-election observation report covering 14 June to 13 July, residents of Ara Joshua Village in Osi Ward, Ife South Local Government Area, reportedly received electronic transfers of ₦10,000 on 7 July with the payment narration, Renewed Hope Ambassadors/APC EPYT.
The civil society organisation said its observers linked the payments to an earlier exercise carried out in March, during which individuals allegedly visited communities to collect voters’ VINs and NINs. The same individuals reportedly returned in June to obtain beneficiaries bank account details before the electronic transfers were made. Yiaga Africa said the allegations were based on reports gathered by its trained long-term observers deployed across all the 30 local government areas of the state.
The organisation did not state whether the alleged payments were authorised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) or its governorship campaign, nor did it indicate that the party had admitted responsibility for the reported transfers.
It warned, however, that the alleged pattern signals a new evolution in electoral malpractice.
Beyond the alleged electronic transfers, Yiaga Africa documented other reported instances of cash and gift distribution in Irepodun, Ola-Oluwa, Olorunda and Osogbo local government areas.
According to the report, observers received reports that food items, including garri and beans, as well as cash gifts, were distributed during community engagements and campaign-related activities.
Although some of the distributions were presented as charitable or social intervention programmes, Yiaga Africa said the timing and proximity to the election raised concerns about their potential to influence voters.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
