President asks INEC to ensure transparent, credible poll, says election must reflect the will of Osun people
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews
President Bola Tinubu has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State, scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
The President made the call in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, as he charged security agencies to provide maximum protection for voters and electoral officials throughout the election.
Tinubu also urged the electorate to come out and exercise their civic responsibility peacefully, assuring the people of Osun State of their safety before, during and after the polls.
The Osun governorship election has attracted 15 candidates, including the incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke; the All Progressives Congress candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji; and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Hon. Najeem Salaam.
The President, in the statement, called on INEC to ensure an orderly conduct of the election and protect the integrity of the electoral process, stressing that the commission must use the Osun election as an opportunity to demonstrate its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
“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.
He added: “INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians their full preparedness for the 2027 polls.”
Tinubu also charged the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security agencies taking part in the election to provide maximum security at polling units and ensure that no individual or group is allowed to disrupt the electoral process.
“I have charged the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security outfits taking part in the election to provide maximum security at polling units. No room should be allowed for troublemakers to disrupt the process,” the President stated.
He specifically emphasised the need to protect electoral officials and voters from intimidation, assuring the people of Osun State that all necessary measures had been put in place to ensure their safety.
“Electoral officials and voters must be protected so they can perform their civic duties without fear or intimidation,” Tinubu said.
The President urged eligible voters across the state to come out in large numbers and vote for candidates of their choice, while appealing to them to shun violence and every act capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of 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.
The election is taking place amid heightened attention from political parties, candidates, election observers and other stakeholders, with the outcome expected to determine who will govern Osun State for the next four years.
Tinubu stressed that the credibility of the election would depend on the extent to which the process reflects the genuine choice of the electorate, insisting that the outcome must reflect the will of the people.
“Our elections must be credible, and the outcome of the Osun Governorship election must reflect the will of the people,” the President declared.
The President’s appeal places responsibility on INEC to conduct a transparent and credible election and on the security agencies to create a safe environment for voters, electoral officials, observers, journalists and other stakeholders to participate in the process without fear or intimidation.
The Osun election is also being viewed as an important test of the country’s electoral and security arrangements ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the President urging INEC to use the exercise to demonstrate its level of preparedness.
As voters head to the polls on Saturday, attention will be focused on the ability of INEC and the security agencies to translate the assurances into effective measures on the ground and ensure that the election is peaceful, free, fair and credible.
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