Let Voters, Not Federal Might, Decide Osun Election – Obi

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has said the outcome of the forthcoming Osun State election must be determined by voters, not by the deployment of federal might.

In a statement issued ahead of the poll, Obi called on Nigerians, government institutions, political actors, the diplomatic community, international observers and other friends of Nigeria to recognise the responsibility resting on all stakeholders as the state heads to the polls.

“Osun belongs to its people,” Obi stressed, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, candidates, government institutions, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders and the media to act with neutrality, professionalism and restraint throughout the process.

The statement from the candidate of the ADC on Thursday comes amid calls from some APC leaders, including a senator, for members of the All Progressives Congress backed by security forces to “kill Accord members” and their supporters.

And on Tuesday, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, was attacked, leaving him with serious wounds.

Adeleke has lamented that the orgy of violence was to ensure the election is rigged, an allegation the APC has denied.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, said the election would be won based on the structure of the APC and not federal might.

However, due to the intemperate atmosphere where attacks and violence continue to suffuse media pages, Obi insisted, “The people of Osun must be allowed to vote freely, safely and without intimidation,” adding that their votes must be counted transparently, protected faithfully and announced according to the genuine will of the electorate.

Appealing to residents of the state, Obi urged them not to allow politicians to turn neighbours, friends and communities against one another. “Nigeria is bigger than any candidate, and Osun is greater than any political party,” he said.

He also warned politicians, supporters, influencers and financiers outside the state against importing violence, intimidation or desperation into Osun, stressing that its people have the constitutional right to choose their leaders peacefully.

On the role of security agencies, the ADC candidate maintained, “Their loyalty must be to Nigeria and the Constitution, not to any political party or individual,” adding that their duty is to protect every voter equally.

He further charged INEC to safeguard the credibility of the election from the preparatory stages through accreditation, voting, collation and declaration, saying every irregularity must be addressed seriously and every legitimate vote must count.

The former Anambra governor appealed to the international community, diplomatic missions and election observers to monitor the Osun election closely, describing their presence and vigilance as capable of bolstering confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

“Democracy is not only about who wins but about whether the people are truly allowed to choose,” he said.

He expressed hope that Osun would show Nigeria and the world that political competition can be intense without degenerating into violence, and that “power can change hands through ballots rather than bloodshed.”

He called for every vote to count, every voter to be protected, and every legitimate result to be respected, adding that peace must reign in Osun State, as Nigeria, Africa and the world would be watching the process.