Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has asked all workers in the state to mobilise their relatives and friends to vote massively on Saturday and defend their votes to ensure continuity of good governance across sectors in the state.

In a pre-election message to the workers, Adeleke commended the steadfastness of the labour leadership and workers in support of his administration, lauding the mutually beneficial relationship between his administration and Osun workers.

Separately, at the Arise News Town Hall, the governor alleged that one of his predecessors, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was against his re-election because he was jealous of the Adeleke family. He said Oyinlola had a habit of resenting anyone from the Adeleke family.

The governor’s comments came as the presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the President Bola Tinubu administration against militarising the Osun State governorship election or deploying state institutions for partisan advantage.

Atiku gave the warning at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja.

For his part, Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, advised all stakeholders in the Osun State election to prioritise the pursuit of peaceful and credible polls. In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, Bamidele declared that voters, not federal might, would decide the winner of the Osun State governorship election.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, warned those beating the drums of war over the election to be wary of the consequences of their actions, saying they may end up at the

International Criminal Court. Olawepo-Hashim stated this in a statement yesterday.

That was as Accord Party appealed for urgent diplomatic intervention by European Union (EU) to de-escalate rising political tension in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s election.

The appeal was contained in a letter by Accord Party’s National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, dated August 12, 2026, and addressed to Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Migot.

Amid the rising tension, ADC said it had received credible reports about plans to arrest its National Secretary and Osun indigene, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in the days leading to Saturday’s governorship election. ADC warned against the move, in a statement by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi.

In other developments, Osun State Police Command questioned the senator for Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, over inciting statements credited to him in a viral video ahead of Saturday’s election.

Fadahunsi denied any inciting motive in the video, where he was heard saying, “kill any Accord member,” during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland. He insisted he only meant that APC supporters should “kill Accord Party in Osun with their votes”.

But National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for the immediate suspension and arrest of Fadahunsi, in a statement by the commission’s Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu. NHRC said the remarks attributed to Fadahunsi amounted to incitement to murder, electoral violence, and voter intimidation.

In the meantime, INEC announced that the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Osun State election, Dr. Francis Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, had been added to the ballot for the election on Saturday. INEC National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, explained, in a statement, that the action was taken in compliance with the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Addressing workers in the state, Adeleke said, “The time for action has come. As formal workers at state establishments, I task you to mobilise informal workers, artisans, and professional bodies. We must remain strong in defence of our constitutional rights to vote and be voted for.

“We must defend the gains of the last three and half years plus. Ours is a worker-friendly government, which has delivered across board to labour and Osun people. We cannot and must not allow a return to the dark days.”

At the Arise News Town Hall, the governor alleged that Oyinlola was against his second term bid because he was jealous of the Adeleke family.

Adeleke was responding to a question from one of the panellists regarding his strained relationship with Oyinlola, a member of the governor’s former party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He stated that Oyinlola was in the habit of working against anybody from the Adeleke family, recalling how he worked against his elder brother and political mentor, the late former governor, Isiaka Adeleke, popularly known as Serubawon.

He added that Oyinlola worked against him during his first contest for the governorship seat in the state and during his second contest that brought him to office in 2022.

Adeleke also narrated how Oyinlola had come to him after becoming governor and complained that he did not have a car, and he immediately bought one for him, yet the former military governor aligned with the opposition against the Accord Party candidate.

He, however, assured the audience that the Oyinlola factor would be inconsequential in the outcome of the election.

Adeleke declared Friday, August 14, as work-free, to allow public service workers to participate in the Saturday governorship election.

In a circular by Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina, the government said the decision was to enable workers to travel, where necessary, to prepare to exercise their voting rights on Saturday.

The circular stated that all categories of workers were covered in the work-free day declaration, except those on emergency and essential duties.

Atiku to INEC, Tinubu: Osun is a Test, Don’t Turn Governorship Election into War

Presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, warned Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the Tinubu administration against militarising the Osun governorship election or deploying state institutions for partisan advantage.

Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja, Atiku declared, “Osun is a test of Nigeria’s capacity to conduct credible elections ahead of the next general election.”

He said the scale and posture of security deployment around the election resembled preparations for war rather than a civil democratic exercise.

Atiku said, “Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets. Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents.”

He questioned why such overwhelming security capacity was not being deployed against terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits killing Nigerians and attacking communities.

Atiku warned INEC against “mysterious glitches, unexplained delays or manipulation”, demanding timely arrival of materials, unhindered voting, honest counting, and transparent transmission of results.

He stated, “The police belong to Nigeria. The military belongs to Nigeria. INEC belongs to the Nigerian people. None of them belongs to the APC.

“The world is watching Osun. Nigerians are watching. History is taking notes. Let the people vote. Let every vote count. And let the will of the people prevail.”

Atiku also raised fresh questions over the Chicago State University (CSU) certificate Tinubu had submitted to INEC, insisting that reported discrepancies in the document deserve explanation.

He said the certificate submitted to INEC reportedly bore June 22, 1979 date, while another produced in connection with CSU records before June 27, 1979, reportedly had differences in signatures and description of the degree.

Atiku asked why the names or signatures associated with university officials whose tenures came years after 1979 reportedly appeared on documents bearing that date. He asked whether they were subsequently produced replacement certificates and, if so, who authorised them.

He invoked Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution, which provided for disqualification where a presidential candidate had presented a forged certificate to INEC, stressing that the exact document submitted to INEC should be authenticated.

Atiku stated, “Who produced the certificate Tinubu submitted to INEC? When was it produced? Who authorised it? Why does it differ from the other version, and does Chicago State University authenticate the exact document submitted to INEC?

“If a young Nigerian would be required to explain such discrepancies before getting an ordinary job, why should the man seeking Nigeria’s highest job be exempt from the same standard?”

Senate Leader: Voters, Not Federal Might, Will Decide Winner, Urges Peaceful Election

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, yesterday, declared that voters and not federal might would decide winner of the Osun governorship election.

Bamidele urged all political parties, candidates, their supporters, and the electorate to place peace, credible voting, and the collective interest of the state above partisan considerations.

He said the election represented a defining moment for the 2.339 million registered voters in the state, stressing that the ultimate power to determine who governs Osun remained firmly in the hands of the people and not the incumbent governor or the federal government.

In a statement, Bamidele said the electorate, spread across the state’s 30 local government areas, 332 wards, and 3,763 polling units, had a historic opportunity to freely determine the direction of the state for the next four years.

He stated, “Perhaps, like never before, the process is, indeed, a defining moment that freely offers the people the power to choose their next governor.

“The moment is not just significant because the state is at a point of inflection; it is obviously so because of the promises the next poll holds for the future of Osun State.”

According to him, the policies and performance of the incoming administration would have consequences not only for the immediate generation but also for unborn generations, making it imperative for voters to carefully examine the records, programmes and capacity of all the candidates before casting their ballots.

Bamidele said the intense electioneering in the state had demonstrated the vitality of democracy, under which political contestants were expected to present themselves and their programmes to the electorate, while voters retained the constitutional power to determine who deserved their mandate.

He said, “This is the beauty of democracy across the universe. On the one hand, it allows office seekers to present themselves to the people, indeed, the electorate, who occupy the exalted seat of the ultimate judge in every democracy. On the other hand, it gives the people the power to determine who governs or leads them based on their public records.”

He appealed to all candidates to accept the verdict of the electorate and submit themselves to the electoral process in accordance with the constitution and relevant electoral laws.

Olawepo-Hashim: Those Inciting Violence Will End Up in Prison at The Hague

Presidential candidate of Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, warned those beating the drums of war over the election to be wary of the consequences of their actions.

A few days ago, the senator for Osun East in the upper chamber, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, was reported to have threatened members of Accord Party with dire consequences if they came out to vote on Saturday.

Though Fadahunsi later denied issuing such threat, the assertion generated a lot of negative comments across Nigeria.

Olawepo-Hashim maintained that Fadahunsi and his co-travellers would end up at the International Criminal Court (ICC), because incitement to political violence and, especially, murder was an international crime under The Hague Statute.

He added, “Nigeria being a signatory to the Hague Convention must immediately arrest and prosecute the senator, failing which we shall activate the mechanism for an international arrest warrant at The Hague.

“It is not the first time APC supporters would openly incite violence. Already many Accord supporters have been killed and huge numbers wounded.

“It is also the past time of APC chieftains in many states to incite violence without restraints from the national leaders. We want to let everyone know that these actions would not go unpunished.”

Accord Appeals to EU to Urgently Intervene in Osun Poll over Rising Tension

Accord Party, yesterday, appealed to the European Union (EU) for urgent diplomatic intervention to de-escalate rising political tension in Osun State. The party asked EU to condemn alleged electoral violence and intimidation, and help ensure a free, fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful governorship election on Saturday.

The appeal was contained in a letter by Accord National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, dated August 12, 2026, and addressed to the Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Migot.

The party said the August 15 election was particularly significant as the last major off-cycle governorship election before the 2027 general election, warning that its conduct and outcome would have far-reaching implications for public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions and electoral process.

Accord alleged that the political atmosphere in Osun State had become increasingly tense amid reports of violence, intimidation, arrests, harassment, and deployment of state institutions and security agencies in ways capable of undermining political competition.

The party said at least 29 people had reportedly lost their lives, while several others sustained gunshot injuries in incidents linked to the political environment in the state.

It further alleged that more than 60 of its members and supporters had been arrested and detained in Abuja and Nasarawa State under circumstances it said required urgent clarification and independent scrutiny.

The party also raised concerns over the reported search at the residences of senior Osun State government officials and the arrest and detention of some officials, including Secretary to the State Government, as well as the reported freezing of the state government’s bank accounts by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Although the affected officials were later released and the accounts reportedly unfrozen following public concerns and presidential intervention, Accord said the incidents had heightened apprehension over the perceived use of state institutions in the political environment.

The party stressed that it did not seek to obstruct legitimate law-enforcement or anti-corruption activities, but urged that such powers be exercised impartially, transparently, and in accordance with due process, particularly during an election period.

Obi to Fadahunsi: Retract Slip, Apologise

In a related development, the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, condemned the “inflammatory comments and threat-laden rhetoric” attributed to Fadahunsi.

Obi demanded an immediate retraction and apology, stressing that political leaders have a constitutional and moral responsibility to promote peace, democratic norms, and unity.

He urged security agencies to monitor inflammatory statements and guarantee equal protection for voters, election officials, and citizens before, during, and after the poll.

According to Obi, the democratic mandate belongs to the people and no individual, irrespective of political office or status, should attempt to influence the electorate through fear, intimidation, or coercion.

ADC Warns Against Arresting Aregbesola

African Democratic Congress (ADC) said it had received credible reports about plans to arrest its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in the days leading to Saturday’s Osun State election.

In a statement by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC said, ‘’Given the pattern of intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions that has increasingly characterised the conduct of this government towards the opposition, we cannot afford to dismiss these reports.

‘’Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former Governor of Osun State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party. If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so.”

ADC stated, ‘’An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities.

‘’We, therefore, put the federal government and the security agencies on notice. The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun. Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now.

‘’The APC federal government must be wary of doing anything that could plunge Osun State into needless crisis. Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday.”

Police Grill Fadahunsi as Senator Accuses Adeleke of Importing Terrorism into Osun

The senator for Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, was grilled by Osun State Police Command for more than two hours over an alleged inciting statement ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke had called for the arrest of Fadahunsi following a viral video in which the senator was heard saying, “kill any Accord member,” during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland.

The protest followed the alleged killing of 12 All Progressives Congress (APC) members within 24 hours in Ilesa, an incident that heightened political tension in the state ahead of the election.

But Fadahunsi denied making the statement, insisting that what he said was that APC supporters should “kill Accord Party in Osun with their votes”, as he alleged that more than 40 members of APC had been killed in his district within the last one year.

He was invited by the police on Tuesday after the video went viral.

Fadahunsi arrived at the Osun State Police Command headquarters about 2:25pm on Wednesday, accompanied by one of his aides, and initially headed towards the office of the Commissioner of Police.

He was, however, stopped along the way and redirected to the Department of Criminal Investigation (CID), where he was led into an investigation room by the Commissioner of Police in charge of election duty, Samuel Erale Etifo, alongside other senior police officers.

Journalists were barred from the investigation room, which was in a separate building away from the office of the Commissioner of Police, where the senator spent about one hour and 57 minutes.

He was subsequently taken to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where he spent another 20 minutes before being returned to the CID.

Fadahunsi was later joined at the CID by a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Adebayo Adeleke, and a legal practitioner, Edmund Biriomoni.

The senator was subsequently released by the police.

Addressing journalists after his release, Fadahunsi said he honoured the police invitation and clarified the statement attributed to him.

He said, “I came here to honour the police invitation. We have met and I told them what I said, not the one manipulated by the mischievous interpreters of the Yoruba language.

“I am a Yoruba man. If a Hausa or Igbo person is interpreting, it may not be correct. Yoruba means a lot of things. What I said was that between now and Saturday, we will kill them with our votes.”

He accused Governor Adeleke of allegedly importing political violence and terrorism into the senatorial district ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Fadahunsi, who spoke at a press conference in Osogbo yesterday, alleged that more than 40 people had been killed in his senatorial district in the last one year, accusing the state government of failing to prevent the violence.

He alleged that 30 members of APC had been killed within the last month, claiming that the violence was designed to intimidate opposition supporters and prevent them from coming out to vote.

“Adeleke created terrorism from Ede into Osun East, the stronghold of APC, for us to be destabilised, so that people will not go out en masse to cast their votes,” he alleged.

NHRC Demands Suspension, Arrest of Senator Fadahunsi over Alleged Kill Order

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for the immediate suspension and arrest of Senator Francis Fadahunsi, the senator for Osun East Senatorial District, over alleged inflammatory remarks in a viral video ahead of the August 15, Osun governorship election.

The commission, led by Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, said the remarks attributed to Fadahunsi amounted to incitement to murder, electoral violence, and voter intimidation.

According to NHRC, the senator allegedly instructed supporters to kill members of Accord Party whenever they encountered them and warned that Accord members should not be allowed to vote, even if they possessed voter cards.

Ojukwu described the statement as “a licence to kill”, warning that authorities must act before violence occurs.

He stated, “This is not politics. This is a licence to kill. A public officer who tells citizens to murder other citizens because of party affiliation must not be allowed to remain in office for one more day.”

NHRC called on the senate leadership to suspend Fadahunsi immediately, pending investigation, while urging the police and Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest, investigate, and prosecute him in accordance with the law.

CSOs Rate Adeleke Strongest Candidate

The Network of Civil Society Groups in Osun State rated Governor Ademola Adeleke as the strongest candidate among those who participated in the ARISE News Osun Governorship Town Hall Meeting held in Osogbo on Tuesday.

The group said its assessment was based on the candidates’ presentations, governance experience, existing achievements, continuity of projects, and the development needs of the state ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

In a statement by Olanrewaju Stephen, the group commended ARISE News for creating an opportunity for the candidates to present their programmes and visions to the electorate, describing such engagements as important to democratic development.

The civil society groups said Adeleke had an advantage because, unlike other candidates, he had an existing record of governance that voters could assess.

According to the network, the Adeleke administration’s performance could be evaluated through its interventions in infrastructure, road construction, healthcare, workers’ welfare, pensions, and other government programmes.

It stated that while a manifesto represented what a candidate promised to do, a governance record provided evidence of what had already been attempted or delivered.

The group urged voters to weigh fulfilled promises alongside new campaign pledges.

Osun Speaker Decries Threats of Violence

Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun, yesterday, decried the current threats of electoral violence and voter intimidation in the state, stressing the need to protect democracy.

Egbedun spoke at a press conference in Osogbo, where he addressed members of the international media, representatives of the international community, and foreign partners.

The speaker appealed to all institutions committed to democracy, the rule of law, justice, and the protection of human life to deliberately work for the de-escalation of the tension.

He said, “As the state stands at a defining moment and approaching Saturday’s election, what should ordinarily be a celebration of democracy, civic participation, and the peaceful exercise of the people’s constitutional rights is increasingly being overshadowed by disturbing statements, threats, intimidation, harassment and allegations of attempts to suppress voters.

“I am particularly concerned about the threats attributed to Senator Ade Fadahunsi, a serving senator for that matter, and Francis Eniade, the APC House of Representatives candidate for the Ifelodun, Boripe and Odo-Otin Federal Constituency, threatening people who are not members or supporters of the APC with violence and death.

“Such statements are completely unacceptable in a democratic society. No political ambition is worth the life of one Osun citizen.”

Egbedun added, “I am particularly concerned about the video threat made by Francis Eniade, the APC House of Representatives candidate for the Ifelodun, Boripe and Odo-Otin Federal Constituency.

“In the said video, Eniade specifically mentioned my name, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, and issued threats against me as well as other eligible voters within the Odo-Otin, Boripe and Ifelodun Federal Constituency.

“This is not merely political rhetoric that should be dismissed or ignored. It is a matter that raises serious concerns about threats to life, voter intimidation and the promotion of political violence ahead of the election.”

CISLAC Raises Alarm Over Electoral Violence, Killings, Others

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) raised concerns over the growing threat of electoral violence, political intimidation, and vote buying ahead of the Osun election.

CISLAC said findings from independent monitoring, media reports, and ongoing assessments of the electoral environment indicated a worrying pattern of violence, intimidation and alleged voter inducement that could undermine the credibility of the election and discourage citizens from participating freely.

The organisation, in a statement by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said several election-related incidents had been recorded across different parts of the state in recent months, with reports of killings, shootings, clashes, attacks on political gatherings, destruction of property, and other forms of intimidation.

CISLAC stated with particular concern reports about the killing of a 14-year-old boy, Ezekiel Olapade, in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, after he was reportedly struck by a stray bullet during a clash.

Other reported incidents included the killing of Kolade Eluyera in Irewole Local Government Area, as well as the shooting of a political office holder in Osogbo and the killing of a political youth leader in Esa-Oke.

While the circumstances and responsibility for some of the incidents remained subject to investigation, CISLAC said the reported loss of lives and increasing tensions across the state demonstrated the urgent need for all stakeholders to prioritise peace and the protection of citizens.

Oyintiloye Seeks Peace, Decent Engagement

A chieftain of APC, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, called on political actors in Osun to sue for peace and shun violence ahead of the governorship election.

Oyintiloye stressed that APC remained a peaceful political party, appealing to all stakeholders and members of the public to promote peace, tolerance, and responsible political engagement ahead of the election.

He made the call while addressing newsmen during an empowerment programme for informal workers organised at his campaign office at his country home in Ibokun, Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State.

The programme attracted a large gathering of informal workers, including barbers, hairdressers, fumigators, welders, textile workers, members of the National Union of Tailors and Electrical Workers, market men and women, commercial motorcyclists and members of the Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA).

Equally present were members of non-indigenous communities, including the Igede, Idoma, and Tiv communities from Benue State residing in Obokun Local Government Area.

Oyintiloye said the empowerment programme was part of his effort to support hardworking residents and strengthen grassroots participation in governance.

He urged the beneficiaries to see the gesture as a demonstration of his commitment to the welfare of ordinary citizens, particularly those whose livelihoods depended on their daily businesses and skills.

INEC Includes SDP Candidate on the Ballot

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Osun State governorship election, Dr. Francis Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, had been added to the ballot for the election on Saturday.

INEC National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, in a statement, explained that the action was taken in compliance with the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on July 22, 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, between SDP and Ajala, on the one hand, and INEC, on the other.

Haruna recalled that the court had ordered the commission to forthwith recognise, accept, upload, process, and publish the name and particulars of Ajala as the candidate of SDP.

He stated, “Consequently, the ballot papers for the election, scheduled to hold on Saturday, 15th August 2026, are being reproduced to reflect this addition, bringing to 15, the total number of political parties contesting the election.

“The result sheets for the election are also being reproduced alongside the ballot papers to reflect the inclusion of the SDP candidate.”

The commission informed the public that the reproduced ballot papers would arrive in Osun State on Thursday, August 13, and would, same day, be moved to local government area offices across the state, in line with its standard distribution procedure ahead of the election.

The commission assured political parties, candidates, and the general public of its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible election in Osun State. (This Day)