Osun Poll: Tinubu Orders Maximum Security, Charges INEC to Ensure Credible Election

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed security agencies deployed for the Osun State governorship election to provide maximum protection for voters, electoral officials and other participants, warning that no individual should be allowed to disrupt the exercise.

Tinubu also charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that Saturday’s election is conducted transparently, peacefully and in a manner that reflects the will of the people.

The President gave the directive in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, as voters across the state prepare to elect their governor.

Tinubu urged eligible voters to turn out and exercise their constitutional right without fear or intimidation, assuring them that adequate security measures had been put in place to safeguard the electoral process.

He specifically directed the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security agencies participating in the election to maintain maximum security at polling units and prevent troublemakers from interfering with voting.

The President also called on INEC to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, stressing that the commission must ensure that the election meets the required standards of fairness and transparency.

According to him, the Osun election, being the final off-cycle governorship election before the 2027 general elections, provides INEC with an opportunity to demonstrate its preparedness for the much larger national exercise.

He urged the commission to use the election as a test of its capacity to conduct credible polls and assure Nigerians that the electoral system remains capable of delivering results that reflect the choices of voters.

Fifteen candidates are participating in the election, including incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress candidate Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam.

The President further appealed to political parties and their supporters to respect the democratic process and accept the outcome of the election.

He stressed that the outcome must reflect the genuine wishes of Osun voters, while urging all stakeholders to avoid actions capable of provoking violence or undermining public confidence in the poll.

The presidential directive comes amid heightened security preparations across the state, with thousands of personnel from the police, military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other agencies deployed ahead of voting.

The Guardian reported that security personnel were already maintaining a strong presence in major towns and identified hotspots across Osun on the eve of the election, with aerial surveillance involving drones and helicopters also expected as part of the security arrangements.

The extensive deployment follows concerns raised by political actors and civil society groups over alleged violence, intimidation, vote-buying and other forms of electoral malpractice.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) separately called on INEC and security agencies to maintain strict neutrality throughout the election, warning against selective enforcement and political interference.

The group urged authorities to protect voters and opposition supporters equally and ensure that the collation and declaration of results are conducted transparently.

Despite the concerns, observers including former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Layi Olurode, expressed optimism that the election could proceed peacefully.

With about 1.9 million voters expected to participate, attention is now focused on whether the security measures and assurances from the authorities will translate into a peaceful voting process and an outcome that commands public confidence.

The President’s message is clear: security agencies are to protect the electoral process, INEC is to safeguard its integrity, and political actors are expected to allow Osun voters to freely determine who governs the state.