In Osun State, a dangerous and ruthless brand of politics appears to be taking root.
The principal actors in both the ruling party in the state, Accord Party, and its main challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC), seem locked in a bitter contest that is increasingly assuming the character of mutual destruction.
Political restraint has been abandoned, and what should ordinarily be a democratic contest is fast degenerating into a struggle with troubling implications for peace, security, and democratic stability. As this unsettling scenario continues to unfold, the people of Osun have been thrown into anxiety while the rest of the country watches with growing concern.
Media reports over the last few weeks have been deeply disturbing. The hitherto peaceful state is gradually being engulfed by violent politicking, with lives already lost and many more potentially at risk if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the situation. Public and private properties have also been destroyed. Hired thugs, paid propagandists, and criminal elements are increasingly emboldened to disrupt public peace in broad daylight, often without consequence. In some instances, political enforcers appear to enjoy organized protection from institutions that ought to remain neutral and committed to the rule of law.
The Omo Oduduwa Collective is particularly worried about the trajectory of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State. We are equally concerned about the direct involvement of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), given the implications of its violent politicization for public safety, freedom of movement, and electoral integrity.
Several videos currently circulating online show armed thugs, believed to be members of the transport union, attacking individuals and property while officers of the Nigeria Police Force appear unable or unwilling to intervene. Whether this perception is accurate or not, it has reinforced public suspicion of collusion and selective law enforcement by institutions that are expected to be impartial guardians of public order.
To us at the Omo Oduduwa Collective, the Osun State Police Command has not done enough to project itself as an independent and neutral institution. Its responses to allegations of one-sided enforcement have been less than reassuring. Unfortunately, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also found itself drawn into the political controversy, further heightening tensions across the state. It is regrettable that the President had to intervene, following widespread public outrage, before the agency reconsidered its actions.
Like the President, we believe Nigerians should be deeply concerned whenever public institutions that are constitutionally mandated to uphold accountability become subjects of political controversy. We are therefore, like the President, very embarrassed by the recent conducts of public agencies, culminating in the misadventure by the EFCC. The crisis of confidence generated by the EFCC episode, and the subsequent presidential intervention, has further raised questions about whether some state institutions can effectively discharge their responsibilities without political interference or manipulation.
On a positive note, the President’s decision to engage Governor Ademola Adeleke, who had earlier called on him to rein in party actors and federal agencies operating within the state, is encouraging. We believe the President must build on that initiative and take every necessary step to reassure the people of Osun that they are safe, irrespective of political affiliation. Citizens also deserve credible assurances that when they go to the polls on Saturday, August 15, to determine the political direction of their state for another four years, their votes will count and the will of the people will prevail.
The conduct of the Osun election will inevitably provide important signals about what Nigerians should expect in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. The surest way to strengthen democracy is to continually give citizens reason to believe that sovereignty ultimately resides with them and not with politicians who merely hold power in trust for a limited period. In this regard, the President has a particularly important role to play.
The Omo Oduduwa Collective also calls on Governor Ademola Adeleke to contribute meaningfully to ongoing confidence-building efforts within the limits of his constitutional powers. Regardless of political disagreements, he remains the Governor of Osun State and must conduct himself in a manner that does not create the impression that the powers of his office are being deployed to secure undue political advantage.
More specifically, we are uncertain whether the activities of a union can be lawfully prohibited through a mere executive pronouncement. We believe that where a registered association has become associated with violence and criminality, the appropriate course of action is to seek judicial intervention. Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), guarantees the rights to peaceful assembly and association. It follows that a legally registered organization cannot simply be dissolved or proscribed through administrative fiat.
We are equally concerned by reports that the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, was absent from the recent peace accord meeting organized by the National Peace Committee for political parties and candidates participating in the election. Such an absence may reasonably be interpreted as a disregard for efforts aimed at guaranteeing a peaceful, free, fair, and credible electoral process. It also risks reinforcing public perceptions that some political actors are relying on the increasingly controversial notion of “federal might” rather than democratic persuasion to secure electoral victory.
The Omo Oduduwa Collective therefore calls on all stakeholders in the forthcoming Osun governorship election to recognize that their actions, or inactions, will have consequences far beyond the boundaries of the state. What happens in Osun will significantly influence public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Nigeria Police Force, in particular, has much work to do to convince the public of its neutrality and professionalism. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must demonstrate through its actions that it is truly independent, as its name suggests. The Federal Government must ensure that state institutions and powers are never weaponized against opposition parties or perceived political adversaries.
Finally, politicians across the political divide in Osun must understand that the embrace of the Machiavellian notion that the end justifies the means is ultimately incompatible with democratic governance. Any political strategy that sacrifices legality, fairness, and public trust in pursuit of power is, in effect, an invitation to anarchy and a direct threat to Nigeria’s still-fragile democratic project.
Signed:
Professor Akinyemi Onigbinde (Convener)
Dele Farotimi
Adeolu Oyekan (Group Admin)
Arinloye Samuel Adebisi
For: Omo Oduduwa Collective
Oluyinka Olujimi
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