Osun Peace Accord Signing Marred by Governor’s Genocide Alarm as Stakeholders Urge Violence-Free Poll

Political leaders, security agencies, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders have called on all contestants and supporters in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election to embrace peace and reject every form of violence before, during, and after the poll, even as Governor Ademola Adeleke raised grave allegations of an impending “police-induced genocide” against his party members.

Speaking during the signing of the Peace Accord ahead of the 15 August governorship election, Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan welcomed the Governor of Osun State, political party candidates, traditional rulers, security chiefs, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of the National Peace Committee, and other dignitaries to the event.

He commended all political parties and their candidates for participating in the Peace Accord, describing it as a significant commitment to peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections.

He also expressed appreciation to the military, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies for their efforts in ensuring adequate security throughout the electoral process.

He equally praised INEC for its preparations and expressed confidence in the Commission’s ability to conduct a transparent and credible election.

Cardinal Onaiyekan reminded all stakeholders that political power belongs to the people and that leadership should be determined solely through the ballot box.

He urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to reject violence, hate speech, intimidation, and all actions capable of undermining the electoral process.

According to him, although political competition may generate tension, all stakeholders must exercise restraint and continue to promote peaceful coexistence, stressing that elections are temporary while the unity and development of Osun State remain permanent.

The Cardinal paid tribute to the state’s traditional rulers, acknowledging their wisdom and continued role in promoting peace and stability across communities.

He noted that no political ambition is worth the loss of human lives and appealed to citizens to conduct themselves peacefully by voting without fear or intimidation while respecting the outcome of the election.

He concluded by praying for a peaceful electoral process and asked God to grant Osun State and Nigeria peaceful, credible, and successful elections.

Other speakers included the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, who assured that the commission was fully ready and promised that INEC officials would be waiting for voters at the polling units as early as 8am.

He mentioned that a recent incident in parts of the state where PVCs were carted away by hoodlums would not affect anything, saying that the commission was poised to provide affected voters with new voter cards having disabled the stolen ones.

In cases where the reprint would not be immediately obtainable, he said the commission would provide a first-of-its-kind technology where voters would be electronically accredited to vote. He expressed the commission’s absolute zero tolerance for vote buying.

The Representative of the Inspector General of Police, AIG Fasuba Olayemi, conveyed the assurances of the IGP that the Osun elections would be the best in the history of the country yet, citing the recently concluded Ekiti Election that recorded a peaceful outing.

The police, he said, being the chief security organization, would conduct and ensure due and adequate security, remain neutral, and assured that people should exercise no fear and go out to vote.

Project Manager of the National Peace Committee, Bar. Asabe Ndayi, presented emerging issues, threat analysis and flashpoints.

Candidates of various parties and peace stakeholders commenced the signing ceremony and shook hands and hugged each other.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, speaking passionately, urged for peace, emphasizing the need to maintain the integrity of Osun State which is the Cradle of the Yoruba Tradition.

Representative of the Convener, General Abdusalam Abubakar, General Martin Luther Agwai, delivered the vote of thanks.

However, the event took a dramatic turn when Governor Ademola Adeleke appealed to the Abdulsallam-led National Peace Committee to save Osun State from impending police-induced genocide ahead of the governorship elections.

Addressing the peace forum chaired by former Chief of Army Staff, Martins Agwai, in company of Bishop Kukah and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the governor raised alarm about a systematic plot to kill, maim and incarcerate Osun Accord leaders through an unholy alliance between Osun APC thugs and the state police command.

Echoing the warning against political violence by the Ooni of Ife and the electoral commission chairman, Governor Adeleke decried what he described as a current concerted push to eliminate Accord party leaders, urging “our peace leaders to stop a progression towards genocide.”

He said, “I should have boycotted this peace meeting because of the violence unleashed on Osun State in the last few months, on the directive of Gboyega Oyetola. However, my presence is due to my very deep respect for our peace leaders here present. Our gathering is to endorse peace but my government and people are facing police sanctioned violence and intimidation. War is being waged actively against my people by Osun APC openly supported by the Osun state police Command.”

The governor further alleged that in the last three months, the state had lost eight party members with more than 20 injured in gun attacks, with no single prosecution or active arrest till date.

He claimed the perpetrators were known Osun APC thugs with crimes committed in the presence of the police, adding that video evidence is everywhere on the internet.

He also stated that top government officials were being harassed and intimidated, and more than 60 Accord leaders had been arrested and moved to Abuja, and remanded in Abuja prisons and Nasarawa State prisons.

He questioned, “This is supposed to be a democracy, where the police uphold the rule of law. Under which law can a state police commissioner take instructions from Mr Gboyega Oyetola to arrest Accord Party members in Osun State and move them to Abuja and be held in prisons without any charge? Why Abuja? We have both the Federal High Court and State high courts in Osun State, where anyone can be arraigned.”

Governor Adeleke asked the Peace Committee to prevail upon the Inspector General of Police to return everyone in police custody and those remanded in prisons to Osun State to be charged in courts there, if the police could show that they had committed any crime.

He declared, “There is an active plot to kill and maim Osun people before, during and after Osun elections. Our dear peace leaders, there is an active progression towards genocide in Osun state. We seek that you interface with Mr President to stop the Marine Minister, Gboyega Oyetola, the Osun APC and the Osun Police Commissioner from unleashing further violence on Osun people. We call on the police authorities to emulate other security agencies which have been very professional. Police must be impartial like other security agencies. We seek free and fair polls where peoples’ will should be supreme. Our people will severely resist rigging in all forms.”

While commending Accord members and Osun people for not retaliating or resorting to self help, the governor said, “This is not out of weakness but due to our firm belief in rule of law. Our request is for impartial policing, a fair and just electoral commission and supremacy of voters’ will at the polls.”

The Peace Accord signing brought together political parties, candidates, security agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, all of whom pledged their commitment to ensuring a peaceful and violence-free governorship election in Osun State.

General Martin Luther Agwai represented the Convener, General Abdusalam Abubakar, at the event.