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• Observers, security operatives flood state ahead of Saturday vote
• Four police officers to man each polling unit
• INEC battles last-minute rush
Tensions have reached a fever pitch, and final preparations are in high gear across Osun State ahead of the highly anticipated August 15 governorship election.
Barely 24 hours before the poll, the Director of Media of the APC Campaign Council, Engr. Remi Omowaye stated that the nephew of the Director-General of the APC Campaign Council, Honourable Oluwole Oke, Ayegbo Oladale, and Taiwo Oluwadele, were attacked around their family compound in Esa-Oke.
“Unfortunately, we lost Ayegbo Oluwadele while Taiwo is still in a very critical condition.
“Just this morning (Thursday) again, an associate of Honourable Sanya Ominrin and three others were attacked. They were shot. Those shots were Adebayo Dada. Some members of the APC at Atakumosa East were shot at. Others were Idowu Laide, Ebuke Emmanuel, Adebiyi Ebeneezer they were APC members, they were short at Alarere.
“As I speak, we have lost about 40 of our members, and nothing has been done to stop this,” Omowaye said.
Amid the intense political climate, the Accord Party cancelled its planned mega rally, noting that it had already concluded its rallies and inaugurated key projects in Osogbo, the state capital.
Conversely, the All Progressives Congress (APC) took over the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo for a massive rally featuring a strong lineup of party heavyweights, including eight state governors: Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), among others.
President Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Also in attendance were APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, National Secretary Dr. Ajibola Basiru, APC National Leader Chief Bisi Akande, and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola.
Osogbo has witnessed an unprecedented influx of visitors and strangers from various parts of the country. Reports indicate a surge in the number of individuals, many previously brought into the state during the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) registration exercise, returning to participate in the weekend poll.
This massive human traffic has resulted in hotels across the capital being fully booked weeks ahead of the election, leaving arriving journalists and election observers struggling to secure accommodation.
However, local businesses are reaping the economic benefits, with traders and food vendors reporting booming sales.
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Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been racing against the clock to finalise logistics for the poll.
The commission’s schedule for distributing sensitive materials by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday was disrupted following a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja that ordered the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot paper.
Security has been visibly heightened across the state. Force Public Relations Officer CSP Anietie Iniedu announced on Thursday that over 15,000 police officers, drawn from various tactical units, had been deployed for the election.
According to Iniedu, four unarmed police officers will be stationed at each polling unit. Additionally, one unit of armed mobile police officers (comprising about 60 personnel, including 50 armed officers) has been deployed to each of the 30 local government areas, with two units stationed at the INEC headquarters in Osogbo.
Top-tier supervision has also been instituted, with a Commissioner of Police, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, and a Mobile Police Commander assigned to oversee each local government area.
To maintain strict control, he said aerial surveillance units, including helicopters and drones, have arrived in Osogbo.
Iniedu added that state borders would be shut and cordoned off by the military on Friday night, while mobile courts had been established to summarily try electoral offenders.
He explicitly warned that only constitutionally recognised law enforcement agencies would operate, ordering local hunters and unofficial security groups to stay away from the electoral process.
The state has also been flooded with various election observer groups. While many are actively monitoring the process, findings suggest that some groups may harbour partisan leanings or have been sponsored by political actors to shape specific narratives.
Despite the heightened security measures, political friction, and stakeholder concerns, ordinary residents remain resilient.
Citizens and civil servants interviewed across the state have expressed a strong resolve to defy intimidation and turn out en masse to exercise their civic duty on Saturday.
