Residents of Osun State have expressed concern that escalating political violence and killings ahead of Saturday’s governorship election could discourage voters from turning out to exercise their franchise.

Some residents who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday also questioned whether the election would be peaceful, free and credible, without disruption, inconclusiveness or cancellation.

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A civil servant, Seun Akinboboye, said the rising political tension and reported killings could scare voters away from polling units.

He urged candidates and political actors to ensure their supporters obeyed the rules and avoided acts capable of triggering violence.

Akinboboye also appealed to security agencies to provide adequate protection for voters on Election Day to enable them to perform their civic responsibility without fear.

Similarly, a business owner, Demilola Olasunkanmi, said the activities of political thugs had become alarming and required urgent intervention.

She called for increased security during and after the election, urging security personnel to restrict movement during the poll to essential workers and others with legitimate reasons to be on the streets.

Olasunkanmi also advised residents to remain vigilant and cautious to avoid becoming victims of any unforeseen incident.

For Elizabeth Oluwatoyin, the fear of political violence is strong enough to keep her and her family away from the polls.

“All these politicians are the same. It is always about their selfish interest and enriching themselves and their families.

“I will not, because of the election, let them kill me. They have been killing each other for the past two to three months,” she said.

Oluwatoyin said she had warned her daughter against discussing politics publicly to avoid becoming a target.

She also said she had appealed to her husband not to risk his life for any politician, noting that politicians could eventually reconcile after the election.

“As the whole thing is going, I don’t think anybody from my family will go out and vote in this coming governorship election,” she added.

However, an elderly resident, Ajeniwura Adeoye, said he would not allow the violence to prevent him from voting.

“Look at me, I am almost 70 years old and I have been voting since 1979.
“I cannot be intimidated at my age and prevented from coming out now to vote for the candidate I want,” he said.

Adeoye said he believed the killings and shootings were intended to discourage voters from participating in the election.

While acknowledging the concerns over safety, he urged residents to come out and exercise their franchise, noting that the police had assured the public of adequate security.

He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain impartial and urged security agencies to protect voters on Election Day.

Meanwhile, a businesswoman, Ronke Ajibade, said her expectation was for a peaceful election without bloodshed or killings.

She said she would be willing to vote if the security situation remained calm, while appealing to candidates and political parties to play by the rules and reject violence.

Another resident of Owode-Ede, Olawale Ibrahim, described the political atmosphere as frightening, warning that continued tension could discourage voters from participating.

He urged political actors to regard the election as a normal contest in which there would be a winner and a loser, rather than treating it as a do-or-die affair.

NAN reports that there have been a series of killings in Osun ahead of the election, with political parties trading accusations and counter-accusations.

The concerns over voter safety come as the state prepares for Saturday’s governorship election, with residents calling for stronger security measures to ensure that eligible voters can participate without fear.

Osun State Governor and Accord Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has appealed to residents to support his bid for another term in office, saying his administration has delivered significant development across the state.

Adeleke made the appeal on Tuesday while speaking at the Arise Townhall, where he highlighted some of the achievements of his administration and expressed confidence in securing victory in the forthcoming governorship election.

The governor recalled his experience in the 2018 governorship election, which he said he lost after being cheated, adding that he subsequently returned to school before staging a comeback in 2022.

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“I was cheated in 2018. I went back to school and returned in 2022,” Adeleke said.

He said his administration had prioritised the development of Osun State and promised that public funds would continue to be deployed for the benefit of the people.

“Osun State money will stay in Osun,” he said, assuring residents that “more goodies are on the way.”

Adeleke also pointed to several road projects executed by his administration, saying some of the roads had been abandoned for years before his government intervened.

He dismissed claims that roads constructed under his administration were substandard, insisting that qualified Nigerian engineers handled the projects.

“It is a sin to say that the roads I constructed are substandard. I used professional engineers. I used Nigerian engineers. I supervised their work,” he said.

The governor maintained that his administration had “done so much” for Osun residents and claimed that the people had recognised the impact of the projects across the state.

He also accused the All Progressives Congress of relying on propaganda to discredit his administration.

Adeleke further defended his public dancing, which has become a notable feature of his political appearances, insisting that the hobby had no effect on his ability to govern.

“Those that can’t dance are jealous of me. In my family, we have music in our blood. Nobody will stop me from dancing. I dance and work. There is time to dance and there is time to work,” he said.

He also alleged that federal might was being used to intimidate voters ahead of the election but expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious.

“Dancing is my hobby. In this election, I will be victorious,” Adeleke declared.

On security, the governor said his background in criminology had equipped him with the knowledge needed to tackle security challenges in the state.

“I am a security expert. I studied criminology. My aim is to protect my people, and I am doing that,” he said.

Adeleke disclosed that his administration had recruited about 1,500 Amotekun personnel, adding that the recruits received training from senior security officers.

He alleged that Osun had remained relatively peaceful until the approach of the election, when, according to him, intimidation and violence began to emerge.

“Osun has been peaceful until recent times, when the election approaches. They started intimidating and killing our people,” he alleged.

The governor said he had raised the security concerns with relevant authorities and held meetings with security experts on measures to protect residents before, during and after the election.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has hit back at critics of his penchant for dancing, insisting that his hobby has never affected his responsibilities or performance as governor.

Adeleke made the clarification on Tuesday during a town hall meeting organised by Arise TV for candidates contesting the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

The governor described dancing as part of his personality and family culture, stressing that he combines it with his duties as the state’s chief executive.

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“I dance because in my family, we are jolly good fellows. As I am dancing, I am working. There is time for everything, there is time to dance, and there is time to work. Dancing does not stop me from working. I have delivered across all sectors,” Adeleke said.

His comments came after Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, recently mocked him during an APC campaign rally in Osun State and urged voters to reject what he described as the “dancing governor.”

Responding to the criticism, Adeleke said his dancing was simply a hobby and had no connection with his ability to govern.
“Dancing is a hobby. That does not affect my work. My people love me,” he said.

He also took a swipe at those criticising his dancing, saying, “If they can’t dance, I can teach them how to dance.”

Adeleke used the occasion to highlight projects he said his administration had executed across Osun State.

According to him, his government has constructed and rehabilitated roads across the state, with solar-powered streetlights installed along some of them to improve security and boost economic activities.

“As I’m speaking to you, I did not only build roads across Osun, I installed them with solar lights. This we did to provide security and enhance economic development,” he said.

The governor also said his administration had upgraded and rehabilitated more than 200 primary healthcare facilities, equipping them with electricity and clean water.

He added that qualified engineers had certified the projects undertaken by his administration as meeting international standards.

Adeleke is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, under which he won the 2022 governorship election.

He is contesting against the All Progressives Congress candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, and other candidates in the August 15 election.