President Bola Tinubu has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State on Saturday.
Fifteen candidates are contesting the August 15 election, including the incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party; the All Progressives Congress candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji; and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Hon. Najeem Salaam.
In a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu called on INEC to ensure the orderly conduct and integrity of the electoral process.
“As the people of Osun State head to the polling units to elect who will govern them in the next four years, I call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure orderly conduct of the election.
“The election must be transparent, free and fair. I urge INEC to ensure the integrity of the process,” the President said.
Tinubu described the Osun election as an opportunity for INEC to demonstrate its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
“INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians their full preparedness for the 2027 polls,” he said.
The President also directed the Inspector-General of Police and other security chiefs involved in the election to provide maximum security at polling units and prevent troublemakers from disrupting the process.
He stressed that electoral officials and voters must be adequately protected from intimidation and violence.
“Electoral officials and voters must be protected so they can perform their civic duties without fear or intimidation,” Tinubu said.
He urged eligible voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise, assuring them that measures had been put in place to ensure their safety before and after the election.
“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,” he said.
Tinubu further called on the electorate to shun acts capable of disrupting the election and allow the process to proceed peacefully.
“Our elections must be credible, and the outcome of the Osun Governorship election must reflect the will of the people,” the President declared.
The Osun governorship election is the final off-cycle governorship poll before the 2027 general elections.
