Politics
Osun Election: Fear, Violence May Suppress Voter Turnout — Yiaga Africa
A Civil Society Organisation, Yiaga Africa, has warned that rising tension, pre-election violence and inflammatory rhetoric could discourage voters from participating in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The organisation raised the alarm on Thursday during a pre-election press conference in Osogbo, where the Chairperson of the Osun Election Observation Mission, Dr Asmau Maikudi, urged political actors and other stakeholders to create a peaceful environment for voters.
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Maikudi said preparations for the election were broadly on track but stressed that the credibility of the exercise would ultimately depend on the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission on election day.
She said INEC had carried out key preparations across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Card distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.
“The electoral umpire had undertaken key preparatory activities across the 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.
“Election-day credibility will depend on timely deployment, reliable technology, consistent application of the law and effective contingency planning,” she said.
However, Maikudi noted that PVC collection was disrupted in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas, limiting some eligible voters’ ability to obtain their cards.
She said although INEC had announced plans to enable affected voters to download electronic PVCs, limited access to digital services could prevent some voters from benefiting from the arrangement.
“This increases the risk of voter disenfranchisement,” she warned.
On security, the Yiaga Africa official cited the attack on a PVC collection centre in Odo-Otin, politically linked violence in Osogbo and disputes over control of motor parks as developments that had heightened security risks ahead of the poll.
She also expressed concern over what she described as an escalation in incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors.
“Yiaga Africa expressed concern over the escalation of incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors. Such rhetoric could legitimise violence, deepen partisan hostility and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“We called for intelligence-led, coordinated and strictly impartial security deployment, with enhanced protection for electoral personnel, facilities, materials and voters,” Maikudi said.
She urged security and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute electoral violence, threats, hate speech and related offences without regard to political status, party affiliation or influence.
Maikudi further warned that unresolved technical problems could disenfranchise eligible voters, create tension at polling units and undermine confidence in the credibility and legitimacy of the election.
She called for more targeted voter education, particularly for women, youths and persons with disabilities, stressing the need to sustain political awareness and civic engagement ahead of the election.
Yiaga Africa also identified voter inducement as a significant integrity risk, saying it had documented the distribution of money and gift items by political actors.
According to Maikudi, some of the distributions were presented as social interventions or charitable support, but their timing and proximity to campaign activities raised concerns about voter inducement and undue influence.
She said voter education activities had expanded since July 1, with INEC, civil society organisations and the National Orientation Agency playing key roles.
Maikudi, however, cautioned that pre-election violence, inflammatory rhetoric and persistent distrust in the electoral process could suppress voter participation on election day.
Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said an NDC government would bring back fuel subsidy if elected in the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso made the declaration during an exclusive interview with ARISE Correspondent, Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie.
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The former governor said the subsidy would not necessarily return in the same form as the previous system, stressing that the NDC would adopt its own approach to reduce the cost of petrol for Nigerians.
“We’ll bring back subsidy in our own way,” Kwankwaso said.
He added that the party would do “whatever it takes” to bring down the price of fuel.
Kwankwaso also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy at the beginning of his administration, describing the policy and its consequences as having left Nigeria in a “total mess, economically.”
Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, triggering a major shift in petrol pricing and subsequent increases in the cost of transportation, goods and services.
The policy has remained a major subject of political and economic debate, with the Federal Government maintaining that subsidy removal was necessary to reduce the financial burden on the country, while critics have argued that it has worsened economic hardship.
Kwankwaso, who is running alongside former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi on the NDC ticket, said bringing down fuel prices would be a priority under an NDC administration.
The former Kano governor also took a swipe at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar while discussing Nigeria’s refineries.
According to Kwankwaso, “Atiku would sell our refineries to his friends.”
His comments come as political parties and presidential contenders begin to intensify their positioning ahead of the 2027 elections, with economic hardship, fuel prices, subsidy policy and the future of Nigeria’s refineries expected to remain major campaign issues.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has felicitated with the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the auspicious occasion of her 66th birthday, celebrating her as a remarkable example of devotion to nation building.
According to a government house statement in Osogbo on Monday, Gov Adeleke notes with reverence Senator Tinubu’s refreshing history of outstanding service and contributions to public good, praising her as a distinct voice in the advocacy for inclusive governance and a visible hand in the quest to build a country that serves all.
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He hails the first lady for the frontline roles she played in shaping legislations that empowers women and expanded opportunities for young people as a senator and currently in her role as the Mother of the Nation, recalling with nostalgia the partnership he enjoyed from Senator Tinubu while in the Senate.
“I join family, friends and well-wishers to celebrate a symbol of excellence, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the joyous occasion of her 66th birthday. Senator Tinubu was a lawmaker per excellence, using legislation to address past failings and setting the pathway for a prosperous future for both the nation and its people” Gov Adeleke noted.
“As the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Tinubu has proven to be the mother of all, galvanising interests irrespective of the political divide towards the ultimate purpose of moving Nigeria forward. As a Senator, she was truly pan-Nigerian and as a First Lady, she is an excellent nation builder.
“As she turns 66 today, I honour her life of incredible service and contributions, and more importantly, praise her for sharing in the burden of serving Nigerians with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and charting the course for Nigeria that will serve all.”
Gov Adeleke prays to Almighty God to bless the first lady with more rewarding years in good health and sound mind while she continues to stay by the side of our beloved President Tinubu, offering the needed strength in his enviable pursuit of a prosperous Nigeria.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has launched a fresh attack on former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, over his administration’s financial record, accusing him of failing to fully account for the state’s liabilities when he left office.
The APC campaign council, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Dele Alake, on Monday, September 21, 2026, said recent disclosures by the Anambra State Government had challenged claims that Obi left the state without a debt burden.
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According to the council, the Anambra State Government disclosed that Obi spent about $4.05 billion, equivalent to N5.4 trillion, during his eight years as governor and contracted $123.77 million in external loans.
It further claimed that eight external borrowing facilities for projects covering malaria control, erosion management, education and healthcare were outstanding when Obi left office on March 17, 2014.
The APC council said subsequent administrations, including that of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, continued to service the obligations.
Alake argued that while borrowing was not inherently wrong when used for development, the issue was significant because of Obi’s long-standing public image as a financially prudent leader and his alleged claim that he left Anambra without a debt burden.
The statement also raised allegations concerning unpaid salaries during Obi’s tenure.
Alake cited a memo purportedly written by Obi’s then Chief of Staff, Chuks Ileogbunam, dated April 25, 2006, appealing to the former governor to pay N15 million in monthly salaries owed to workers of the Anambra State Water Corporation.
According to the APC spokesman, the memo warned that the workers could protest at the Governor’s Office over the unpaid salaries.
The statement quoted Ileogbunam as appealing to Obi to consider the welfare of the affected workers and their families.
The APC campaign council further claimed that Obi had promised during his campaign for governor that he would resign if there was any case where workers were not paid as and when due.
Against that backdrop, Alake challenged Obi to honour what he described as his previous commitment to withdraw from the presidential race if it was established that his administration left liabilities behind in Anambra.
“Indeed, if Peter Obi has any honour, he must resign from the 2027 presidential race forthwith, in keeping with his promise to end his run if it is proven that his administration left behind liabilities in Anambra,” Alake said.
The APC spokesman also criticised Obi over a recent solidarity visit to an individual facing an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) trial, questioning the political implications of the visit.
The latest statement comes amid an ongoing dispute over the financial record of Obi’s eight-year administration in Anambra.
The Anambra State Government has maintained that records show external loans contracted during Obi’s tenure remained outstanding after he left office, while the issue has become a major point of political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC campaign council urged Obi to address the allegations and account for his administration’s financial record rather than continue to project himself as a leader who left Anambra without liabilities.
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