President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure that Saturday’s Osun State governorship election is free, fair, peaceful and transparent.
Tinubu made the call ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, as political parties and candidates make their final preparations for the poll.
The President urged electoral and security authorities to ensure that voters are allowed to exercise their constitutional rights without intimidation or interference.
According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu stressed the importance of allowing the election to reflect the will of the people.
The President’s intervention comes against the backdrop of heightened political tension surrounding the Osun election.
The contest has primarily attracted attention around incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, with several other candidates also participating in the election.
The poll has also been preceded by allegations and counter-allegations involving political parties and their supporters.
There have been concerns over possible violence, intimidation and disruption of the electoral process, prompting repeated appeals from political actors, civil society organisations and security authorities for restraint.
Tinubu’s latest call places additional emphasis on the responsibility of INEC and security agencies to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
INEC is responsible for conducting the election, while security agencies are expected to provide an environment in which voters, electoral officials, observers and journalists can operate safely.
The President’s appeal comes just one day before Osun voters are expected to head to polling units across the state.
The outcome of the election will determine who governs Osun State for the next four years and is also being closely watched because of its wider political implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As the parties conclude their final mobilisation efforts, attention now shifts to election day and whether the process will meet expectations for a peaceful, credible and transparent contest.