Saturday, 15 August 2026, is not just another election day.

It is a day for the people of Osun State to exercise something fundamental.

Their sovereignty.

Democracy means that the people govern themselves.

But millions of people cannot sit together every day to run a state. So, they choose people to whom they temporarily delegate that authority.

That is what an election is.

The people say:

This is the kind of person we trust.

This is the kind of leadership we want.

This is the direction we want our state to take.

This is the vision we prefer for the next four years.

Political parties and candidates present themselves.

The people choose.

That choice belongs to the people.

INEC says 2,339,233 eligible voters are registered for Saturday's election, across 30 local government areas, 332 wards and 3,763 polling units. Fourteen political parties are participating.

Think about that.

More than two million citizens.

Different hopes.

Different experiences.

Different political ideas.

Different visions of what Osun should become.

But one fundamental right:

The right to choose.

And nobody should take that choice away.

Not money.

Not intimidation.

Not violence.

Not thugs.

Not political godfathers.

Not the misuse of government power.

Not the manipulation of state institutions.

Not vote buying.

Not fear.

Not force.

When the people are denied the freedom to choose, something fundamental has been taken from them.

Their sovereignty.

A people who cannot freely choose their government are not truly self-governing.

They are being ruled.

And there is a difference between being governed by laws and being ruled by men and women.

In a democracy, the police, security services, electoral authorities, courts and every institution of state ultimately derive their legitimacy from the people.

Their duty is therefore not to help anyone capture power.

Their duty is to protect the people's right to freely decidewho should exercise power on their behalf and what direction government should take.

So, when political actors or their agents use state resources, security structures, violence or vulnerable citizens to subvert an election, we should ask a simple question:

For what?

Is it to serve the people?

Or is it to make the people serve those who capture political power?

Because the second is not democracy.

It is domination.

And what happens in Osun will not end in Osun.

Political choices produce political outcomes.

Political outcomes produce policies.

Policies produce economic and social outcomes.

Look around Nigeria.

Unemployment.

Poverty.

Inequality.

Poor housing.

Difficult access to healthcare.

Poor education.

Unreliable electricity.

Inadequate water.

Environmental disorder.

Insecurity.

Youth frustration.

A hostile business environment.

These are not accidents.

They are connected to the ideas, values, priorities and choices that shape government.

Politics is therefore not just about who occupies the Government House.

It is about the kind of society we create.

The world is changing rapidly.

Technology is transforming work and concentrating wealth.

Global competition is becoming more intense.

Conflicts are consuming resources and overextending countries.

Climate change is increasing pressure on communities.

The cost of living is rising.

Opportunities are becoming harder to secure for many people.

These realities demand deeper thinking.

They demand leaders who understand society.

They demand citizens who understand politics.

They demand a media that does more than report who said what.

The media must keep asking:

What kind of society are we building?

What ideas are driving our politics?

What will today's political choices mean for our children tomorrow?

Osun is an opportunity to ask these questions.

Not just about candidates.

But about character.

Worldview.

Values.

Competence.

Ideas.

Policies.

And the kind of future each choice represents.

So, to the people of Osun:

This is your state.

This is your government.

This is your choice.

Do not allow anybody to tell you that your vote belongs to them.

It does not.

Do not allow anybody to make you believe that political power is their family inheritance.

It is not.

The power belongs to the people.

On Saturday, exercise that power peacefully.

Exercise it freely.

Exercise it thoughtfully.

And protect your right to choose.

Let Osun people decide.

Because when the people decide freely, democracy lives.

When their choice is imposed, democracy dies.

To politicians. Nigerians who belong to another political party are not your enemies.

They are fellow Nigerians – and part of Nigeria’s greatest assets.

Nigerians who simply have different political ideas, beliefs or visions for the country.

Political competition should never become hatred.

Nigerians are partners in the democratic journey.

It can be like a big ship in troublesome waters.

Nigeria will be alright!

To voters. Democracy is about you, your family and your future.

Every election is your opportunity to help shape the Nigeria you want.

Don’t be indifferent. Don’t sell your vote.

Your vote is your voice, your power and your opportunity to make a difference.

And remember. The politicians you support will be fine whether they win or lose. It is not about them. It is about you. It is about the Nigeria you and your children will live in.

Choose wisely. Vote for the Nigeria you want.

Osun, the ballot is yours.

The choice is yours.

The future is yours.

LET OSUN PEOPLE DECIDE.