Osun On Edge: Election Turmoil Deepens Amidst Shootings, EFCC Freeze Orders, and Abduction Alarms

The August 15 Osun State governorship election is unfolding amidst a charged political atmosphere, marked by heightened tensions, concerns over electoral integrity, and significant legal and security challenges. Stakeholders from the military to civil society organizations have issued warnings and raised alarms, underscoring the critical nature of the poll for Nigeria's democratic process.

Security forces have been strictly cautioned to maintain neutrality. Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, addressed troops deployed for election security, warning them against political partisanship, voter intimidation, and any conduct that could compromise the election's credibility. He clarified that the military's "Operation SAFE CONDUCT" is designed to provide outer-cordon security, intervening only when explicitly requested by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), which remains the primary agency for election security.

However, the pre-election period has been marred by a troubling surge in violence. Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, a respected election observer and founder of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), voiced grave concerns about rising political tension, electoral violence, inflammatory rhetoric, and growing public anxiety. She noted official and security reports indicating over 20 politically related deaths in the build-up to the election. Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi urged political parties, candidates, security agencies, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exercise restraint and ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible election, warning that "developments unfolding in Osun demand urgent and collective action to prevent further escalation."

INEC itself has expressed significant concerns, particularly regarding the widespread threat of vote buying, which it fears could undermine the credibility of the election. While the commission stated it is over 90% prepared, with comprehensive material deployment, personnel training, and BVAS testing completed, it stressed that the success of the poll depends heavily on the conduct of security agencies, political parties, and their supporters. Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, echoed these concerns, warning that civil society organizations and the media would closely monitor and expose any attempts to manipulate election results. He called on President Bola Tinubu to issue a strong warning to security agencies against interfering, emphasizing that the August 15 election serves as a crucial test for Nigeria's electoral security and public trust.

A major point of contention has been the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC) decision to freeze bank accounts belonging to the Osun State Government. Initially, the legal justification for this action was debated. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, and the Osun State Government's counsel, Prof. Mubarak Adekilekun (SAN), argued that the EFCC lacked the constitutional power to freeze accounts without a prior court order, with Adekilekun specifically stating that no court order was served to the state government or First Bank, contrary to Section 7 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. However, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) strongly asserted the EFCC's legal authority to freeze federal, state, and local government accounts with judicial oversight, citing Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judgments that affirmed these powers, provided a court order is obtained within 72 hours. SaharaReporters later confirmed that the EFCC had indeed secured an ex parte order from the Federal High Court on August 5, 2026, freezing three Osun State Government accounts (Federal Allocation, and two Joint Allocation accounts) over allegations of diversion of public funds and money laundering, pending investigation and prosecution.

The timing of the EFCC's action, just days before the election, drew sharp reactions. President Bola Tinubu intervened, directing the EFCC to vacate the freezing order and discontinue related actions, expressing "deep embarrassment" despite acknowledging the commission acted within its statutory powers and a court order. This presidential directive garnered mixed responses: the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the opposition Accord Party commended Tinubu's intervention as upholding democratic principles, while the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and the House of Representatives Minority Caucus criticized it, viewing it as undermining the EFCC's operational independence or exposing a politically motivated plot to intimidate the state government.

The political landscape has also seen significant shifts and allegations. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, withdrew from the race and publicly endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who welcomed the support and expressed intentions to build a broader coalition. Governor Abdullahi Sule, Chairman of the APC Media and Publicity Committee, maintained that the APC was campaigning extensively to win fairly, rejecting claims of using federal agencies to intimidate opponents and defending President Tinubu's intervention as a move for stability, not partisan advantage. Sule also highlighted the ruling party's commitment to good governance, attributing recent defections in Nasarawa State to his administration's developmental strides.

Conversely, Governor Ademola Adeleke's Imole Campaign Council made strong allegations against the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, accusing him of partisanship, enabling APC thugs, holding secret meetings with APC chieftains to plot attacks, and harassing Accord Party leaders, including the arrest of the State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Mayowa Adejoorin. The Osun State Police Command confirmed Adejoorin's arrest in connection with a shooting incident at a political rally in Ilesa, where exhibits like cartridges and Amotekun caps were recovered. Further reports detailed a protest erupting in Ilesa after a 12-year-old boy was allegedly shot during an APC campaign rally, adding to the climate of violence. Governor Adeleke, alongside his cousin Davido, continued to rally supporters, urging Osun voters to bravely exercise and defend their democratic rights.

Beyond these immediate concerns, the election's integrity is further complicated by issues of governance and public trust. Dr. Sam Amadi of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought linked widespread kidnappings and criminality to weak local governance, mass poverty, and a lack of effective state protection, suggesting that many communities remain ungoverned and unprotected. He also pointed out that conflicting judicial pronouncements on local government leadership structures had exacerbated political tensions in the state. Calls for transparency, professionalism, and adherence to the rule of law from all stakeholders — including political leaders, security agencies, and INEC — remain paramount to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria's democracy, for which the Osun governorship election serves as a crucial, closely watched test.