The leading contenders in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election have expressed confidence in their chances of victory while outlining the conditions they expect to be met before accepting the final result.
The candidates, representing the Accord Party, All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), maintained that their parties had done enough to secure victory. They nevertheless stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a transparent, credible and peaceful election.
They also called on security agencies to provide a level playing field for all political parties and protect voters and party supporters from intimidation.
The major contenders include the incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke; the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji; the ADC candidate, Najeem Salaami; and the SDP candidate, Dr Francis Ajala.
Adeleke Campaign Rules Out Defeat
The Adeleke campaign said neither the governor nor his supporters were entertaining the possibility of defeat.
Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesman for the Imole Campaign Council, said the governor was confident of securing another term and urged his supporters to turn out in large numbers while remaining peaceful.
“Adeleke, our candidate, can’t be defeated. No one can defeat Governor Ademola Adeleke in Osun State today. So, we don’t even contemplate defeat,” Olajengbesi said.
He said the party would respect the wishes of the electorate, but insisted that the electoral process must be transparent and that security agencies must remain neutral.
According to him, the credibility of the election would depend largely on INEC’s conduct and the ability of security agencies to provide a level playing field for all contestants.
“One factor that will make us regard this election as credible is for the security agencies to provide a neutral, level playing field and for INEC to be transparent in its dealings throughout the electoral process,” he said.
Olajengbesi also urged Adeleke’s supporters to vote peacefully and remain at their polling locations without engaging in acts capable of disrupting the process.
APC Confident of Oyebamiji Victory
The APC equally dismissed the possibility of defeat, expressing confidence that its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, would emerge victorious.
The party’s Director of Media and Information in Osun State, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, attributed the APC’s confidence to what he described as the candidate’s extensive preparations and grassroots support.
“We cannot lose the election. The reward for hard work is success, which is expected of our governorship candidate,” Olabisi said.
He criticised the Adeleke administration while arguing that Oyebamiji represented a more serious alternative for the state.
Despite the party’s confidence, Olabisi said the APC would accept the outcome provided the election was conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act and was free, fair and credible.
He said the party had confidence in INEC’s ability to conduct the election properly and would resort to legal channels if a dispute arose.
“We are not pessimists in our party, and we expect our candidate to win the election clearly. However, legal channels are part of the acceptable processes for the governorship election and could be used if necessary,” he said.
ADC Raises Concern Over Accreditation
The ADC also expressed confidence in its candidate, Najeem Salaami, but raised concerns about aspects of the electoral preparations.
The party’s spokesman, Oluwaseun Abosede, alleged that some of its polling agents had yet to receive accreditation permits from INEC.
He said the party’s acceptance of the result would ultimately depend on the conduct of INEC, the security agencies and both the state and federal governments.
“What INEC does, what security agencies do, what the state and federal governments do will determine our acceptance of the outcome of the election. Let’s wait till then,” Abosede said.
He nevertheless urged party supporters to remain calm and allow the electoral process to run its course.
Police Deploy Personnel, Air and Drone Units
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has announced extensive security arrangements for the election, including the deployment of air and drone units across Osun State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Edem Iniedu, disclosed the measures during a press conference in Osogbo on Friday.
According to him, police personnel had been deployed throughout the state, while aerial and drone surveillance operations had commenced ahead of the poll.
A unit of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) was deployed to each of the state’s 30 local government areas, with commissioners and deputy commissioners of police coordinating operations.
The police also deployed two units of armed PMF personnel to the INEC office to assist with the movement and protection of electoral materials. Seven Special Protection Units personnel were assigned to oversee the movement of sensitive and non-sensitive materials and safeguard electoral officers.
Iniedu said additional armed patrol teams had been positioned at strategic locations and checkpoints to enable rapid response to incidents.
He added that the police were working alongside other security agencies to protect voters, electoral officials and election materials.
24-Hour Complaint Centre Established
The police spokesman also announced the establishment of a 24-hour call centre to receive complaints concerning alleged professional misconduct by police officers and other security personnel during the election.
He said complaints would be investigated and officers found guilty of violating electoral laws would face appropriate sanctions.
According to Iniedu, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu had directed that each polling unit be manned by four police officers, alongside personnel from other security agencies.
The police also warned against electoral offences, including vote-buying and underage voting.
Iniedu said anyone caught buying or selling votes would be arrested and prosecuted, while parents and guardians were advised to ensure that underage children stayed away from polling units.
Movement Restriction
As part of the security arrangements, vehicular movement across Osun State was restricted from midnight on Friday through Saturday.
The police urged residents to comply with the restriction and cooperate with security personnel throughout the election period.
With the major parties confident of victory and each setting transparency and security as key benchmarks for accepting the result, attention is now focused on INEC and the security agencies as voters cast their ballots across the state.
Beyond the competing claims of victory, the credibility of the election will ultimately depend on whether voters are allowed to exercise their franchise freely and whether the final result reflects the ballots cast by the electorate.