Osun Governorship Election: Tinubu Orders Maximum Security After Stakeholders Raise Alarm
Osun Governorship Election: Tinubu Orders Maximum Security After Stakeholders Raise Alarm
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered maximum security across Osun State as voters head to the polls today, Saturday, August 15, 2026, to elect the governor who will steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
The presidential directive comes against the backdrop of heightened security concerns and repeated appeals from political actors, civil society organisations, community leaders and other stakeholders who had called on the Federal Government to take decisive steps to safeguard lives, property and the integrity of the electoral process.
In the build-up to the election, concerns over alleged political violence, intimidation and threats to voters had dominated public discourse, prompting stakeholders to demand stronger security measures to ensure residents could exercise their constitutional rights without fear.
Among those who publicly raised concerns was Barrister Adesola Ajiboye-Omotowo, President of Osun Professional Women, who wrote an open letter to President Tinubu calling for urgent intervention over the security situation in the state.
Ajiboye-Omotowo had appealed to the President and security authorities to ensure adequate protection for political actors, supporters and ordinary residents ahead of the election, stressing that democracy could only thrive when citizens were free to participate in elections without intimidation or violence.
The presidential directive has therefore come as a major reassurance to stakeholders who had consistently demanded adequate security before, during and after the governorship election.
President Tinubu specifically charged the Inspector-General of Police and heads of other security agencies participating in the election to provide maximum protection at polling units and prevent troublemakers from disrupting the exercise. He also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee an orderly, transparent, free and fair election.
The President urged voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise, assuring them that necessary measures had been put in place to create a peaceful environment for voting.
Tinubu also warned that there should be no room for individuals or groups seeking to undermine the electoral process through violence, intimidation or disruption.
The security mobilisation across Osun has been substantial. More than 15,000 police personnel were deployed for the election, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps mobilised about 10,000 personnel. The Federal Road Safety Corps also deployed about 2,500 officials, with military and Department of State Services personnel maintaining visible presence in strategic locations.
Security patrols were reported in Osogbo, Ilesa, Ikirun, Ede, Ile-Ife and other areas considered important to the election, while aerial surveillance involving drones and helicopters was also expected to strengthen monitoring operations.
The deployment is significant following weeks of concerns about politically motivated violence and other incidents that had raised questions about the safety of voters and electoral officials.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) similarly called for strict neutrality from INEC and security agencies, demanding zero tolerance for political thuggery, ballot snatching, voter intimidation and other electoral offences. The organisation stressed that security institutions must operate impartially and allow Nigerians to freely choose their leaders.
President Tinubu also described the Osun governorship election as an important test for INEC ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that the commission must protect the integrity of the process and ensure that the eventual outcome reflects the will of the electorate.
Fifteen candidates are contesting the governorship election, with the major contenders including incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, and Najeem Salaam.
With security personnel now deployed across strategic locations, attention has shifted to the polling units, where voters are expected to determine Osun’s political direction for the next four years.
For stakeholders who had repeatedly called for stronger federal intervention, including Barrister Adesola Ajiboye-Omotowo, the President’s maximum-security directive represents an important response to the broader demand that every Osun voter should be able to cast a ballot peacefully and without intimidation.
The critical task for the security agencies will now be to translate the presidential directive into professional, neutral and effective protection for all voters, candidates, electoral officials and communities, irrespective of political affiliation.
