With less than three weeks to the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, has expressed concern over rising political tension in the state, calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible election capable of restoring public confidence and preserving peace.
The monarch made the appeal on Tuesday in Ile-Ife while receiving INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, and members of the commission’s management team during a courtesy visit to the palace ahead of the off-cycle governorship poll.
Addressing the electoral umpire in the presence of traditional rulers from across Osun State, the Ooni said the political atmosphere had become increasingly tense and urged INEC to remain impartial in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.
“There is tension in Osun State right now. The political tension is getting unbearable for us. It is really, really worrisome,” the monarch said.
He disclosed that traditional rulers in the state had held extensive deliberations on the political situation and resolved that they could not remain silent because the peace and stability of Osun were more important than partisan interests.
According to him, royal fathers have a duty to speak truth to political leaders regardless of party affiliation and ensure that governance remains focused on the welfare of the people.
“We do not want to rock the boat. We want elections to come very freely, very fairly and very justly. Please, you are the umpire to douse the tension and make sure everything is right,” he told the INEC chairman.
The Ooni urged political actors to place the interest of the state above personal ambitions, warning that while politicians often reconcile after elections, ordinary citizens are left to bear the consequences of electoral violence and political division.
“Let people come out and vote freely. Do not let anybody interfere in anything. The people should decide what they want,” he added.
The monarch also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allowing the electoral commission to operate independently.
Earlier, Amupitan formally notified the monarch that the Osun governorship election would be held on August 15, describing it as a crucial electoral exercise that would provide an important indicator for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
He said the visit formed part of the commission’s stakeholder engagement strategy aimed at strengthening public confidence in the electoral process.
“As the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, I have come to formally inform Your Majesty that the Osun State governorship election will take place on August 15, 2026,” he said.
The INEC chairman also announced that the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on January 16, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections in other states would take place on February 6, 2027.
Describing Osun as one of Nigeria’s most politically active states, Amupitan said the governorship election would serve as a major test run ahead of the nationwide polls.
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“We look at the Osun election as a mirror through which we can see the general election coming next year. It is a real election, but also very important to our preparations,” he said.
Acknowledging concerns over security, the INEC chairman appealed to traditional rulers to encourage political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful campaigns and reject violence.
He warned against the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation, particularly through artificial intelligence, saying fake election-related content could undermine the credibility of the process and incite unrest.
Amupitan assured stakeholders that the commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) across the state’s 3,763 polling units to ensure transparent voter accreditation and credible voting.
According to him, Osun State has 2,339,233 registered voters spread across 332 registration areas in its 30 local government areas.
The visit comes as political campaigns gather momentum ahead of the August 15 governorship election, widely regarded as the last major electoral contest before Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
