Osun State Residents and Candidates Prepare for High Tension Governorship Election

Osun State is preparing for its governorship election on Saturday, August 15, amid heightened political tension and a series of last minute candidate realignments. The race features 15 candidates on the ballot, including incumbent governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party and Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Recent developments include the withdrawal of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Simon Adewale, who endorsed Governor Adeleke. Conversely, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, withdrew to endorse Mr. Oyebamiji. Additionally, Christopher Imumolen, a factional chairman of Accord, endorsed the APC candidate, though the Accord national chairman dismissed this move as inconsequential, stating that Imumolen was expelled from the party.

Concerns over violence have remained high due to the state's electoral history. Police reports indicate that approximately 30 people were killed in politically related violence in the Southwest state as of July. Tensions rose further following allegations that Senator Francis Fadahunsi urged APC supporters to kill members of the Accord Party, leading to police investigations. Meanwhile, the Imole Campaign Council, representing Governor Adeleke, accused the police of intimidating and arresting over 60 of its members, a claim the police denied.

Residents have expressed a desire for transparent and violence free polls. While some residents noted that the increased presence of security personnel has brought relative calm, others remain concerned about their safety and the credibility of the election. The Accord national chairman has called for international monitoring from the European Union, the African Union, ECOWAS, the United States, and the United Kingdom to ensure a credible process.