Traditional Rulers, Security Chiefs, INEC, and Stakeholders Unite for Peaceful Osun 2026 Governorship Election

Ahead of the Osun State Governorship Election scheduled for August 15, 2026, traditional rulers, security chiefs, electoral officials, and other critical stakeholders have reaffirmed their collective commitment to ensuring a peaceful, credible, and violence-free electoral process.

This resolve was made at the Osun EPSS 2026 (Election Peace and Security Summit), held at Arora Hall, Ring Road, Osogbo, and organized by the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), a democracy, development, and civic tech Non-Governmental Organization working to strengthen democratic development and good governance in Nigeria and across Africa.

The summit brought together a wide array of stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, traditional institutions, religious leaders, the media, and the electorate, to foster a shared commitment to a peaceful election process in Osun State.

Representing the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adekunle Adebowale, the Agbolu of Ageaje, Ile-Ife, conveyed the Ooni’s goodwill message to the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, other traditional rulers, and all participants at the summit.

He stressed that politicians, their supporters, and the electorate must ensure that the election is conducted peacefully, without violence or any form of disruption.

In his address, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, Aroyinkeye I, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, urged politicians and their supporters to avoid inflammatory campaigns and all forms of violence capable of causing bloodshed.

He described the killing of innocent people for political reasons as unacceptable and inconsistent with the values of a progressive society.

The monarch reminded participants of Nigeria’s painful history of violent conflicts and appealed to the people of Osun State to learn from the past. He warned that the forthcoming governorship election should not become a source of crisis or destruction but should instead provide an opportunity for citizens to freely and peacefully elect their leaders.

Heads of various security agencies, including the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations, were present at the summit and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting lives and property before, during, and after the election.

DIG Ops Force Headquarters, Umar Nadada, representing the Inspector General of Police, reiterated the Police commitment to ensuring safety and warned that decisive action would be taken against vote buyers, sellers, and troublemakers.

He urged traditional and religious leaders as well as the media to engage responsibly and progressively, charging the people to maintain peace and calm throughout the electoral period.

Speaking at the summit, the representative of INEC, Professor Kunle Ajayi, who stood in for the Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, assured stakeholders that the election would be conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner.

Ajayi stated that INEC would remain neutral throughout the electoral process, stressing that the Commission does not belong to or favour any political party.

He emphasized that all registered political parties and candidates would be treated equally in line with the Electoral Act and the Commission’s guidelines.

He further assured participants that INEC would declare only the candidate who lawfully secures the highest number of valid votes as the winner after the completion of the collation process. He called on political parties, candidates, and voters to conduct themselves peacefully and cooperate with the Commission to ensure a successful and credible election.

Ajayi emphasized that conclusivity is a key component of any election and assured that the people’s decision would be reflected provided they participate largely in the election.

He therefore charged traditional rulers, religious leaders, and the media to mobilize the people, especially the youths whom he said form the majority of registered voters, to come out en masse to exercise their constitutional right to vote their preferred candidate.

He noted that over two million voters were confirmed registered and assured that security was fully guaranteed, urging the youths to refrain from using election day to play football.

Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, informed that the Commission was very ready and prepared to deliver on its constitutional mandate to provide a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and transparent election in the state.

She said the Commission, ahead of its mandated deadline of July 22, had presented the Osun voter register to the political parties on July 9. She noted that the system discovered 30,639 duplicate registrations which were corrected and affirmed that there are 8,201 disabled voters registered duly.

She announced proudly that necessary materials had been deployed and were already on the ground and that sensitive materials would be deployed adequately as at when due, assuring that plans were in top gear and that this time voters would not wait for INEC staff and materials but would meet them at the polling centers.

She reeled that relevant stakeholders had been engaged by the commission, security was duly informed and prepped, and staff training had been concluded. She urged political actors to shun violence, inflammatory and incisive comments and engagements.

Development partners, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), represented by Governance Adviser Dr. Mathew Ayibakuro, commended the organizers of the summit, KDI, INEC, and all stakeholders for the event which he said affirms the ideology of peaceful elections being the collective efforts of all stakeholders.

He stressed that peaceful elections form the foundation of a robust and positive governance and urged inclusivity during the process, insisting that all including the disabled must be given the opportunity to vote without any form of intimidation or inducement.

The organizers, KDI Team Lead, Bukola Idowu, presented key findings by the organization from a Pre-Election Security Risk Assessment to highlight emerging electoral risks and conflict hotspots. He noted that in 12 months, Osun had witnessed 56 election-related violence incidents that had resulted in 14 fatalities. He also observed that exactly on the same date, July 13, four years ago, political stakeholders gathered in the same Osogbo to sign an electoral peace accord, and yet four years later the situation remained concerning.

Idowu in his presentation offered key recommendations to support coordinated prevention and response efforts.

Present at the summit were the African Action Congress (AAC) Governorship candidate, Comrade Olatunji Esan and his Deputy, the BOOTS Party Governorship Candidate, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Spokesperson, Nureni Adebisi, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy Governorship Candidate, Kayode Adereti, all of whom committed to peace before, during, and after the elections.

Religious leaders, including representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Chief Imam of Osun State, Dr. Oluseyi Atanda of the Traditional Worshippers, and Chief Yemi Elebubon, the Araba of Traditional Worship in Osun State, all called on the people to respect and maintain peace.

The summit concluded with a collective appeal to politicians, their supporters, and all residents of Osun State to uphold peace, tolerance, and mutual respect before, during, and after the election, to ensure that the 2026 Osun Governorship Election is peaceful, credible, and conducted in accordance with the law.