Reports
Civil Society Situation Room Raises Alarm Over Tension, Violence Ahead of Osun Governorship Election
By Joseph Sunday
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has raised alarm over the tense political atmosphere ahead of the Osun State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
In a preliminary statement issued at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, August 14, in Osogbo, the Situation Room said it has deployed observers from over 70 Civil Society Organisations to monitor the poll across the 30 Local Government Areas and 332 wards of the state.
The group described the Osun election, the last major poll before the 2027 general elections, as a litmus test for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, and the political class.
In the statement jointly signed by its conveners, Y.Z. Ya’u, Mma Odi and Celestine Odo, the Situation Room expressed worry over reports of politically motivated violence, clashes among party supporters, attacks, intimidation, tension around motor parks and transport unions, as well as allegations of thuggery, killings and arrests of political actors.
It said the situation is more troubling as INEC has identified 385 flashpoints across the state, while its partners, the Kimpact Development Initiative, KDI, and the CLEEN Foundation, flagged 13 LGAs as critical high-risk areas for violence.
According to the Situation Room, although voters remain eager to participate, fear is being fueled by inflammatory statements from political actors and disinformation on social media. It cited a widely circulated report of a killing in Ilesa-East LGA on Thursday night.
On election administration, the group disclosed that INEC’s sensitive materials arrived in Osogbo around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, following the reprinting of ballot papers to include the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP. It warned that the late arrival could delay early deployment to polling units if not properly managed.
The Situation Room also condemned the recent attack on a Permanent Voter Card, PVC, distribution centre in Odo-Otin LGA, where PVCs and BVAS devices were reportedly stolen, describing it as evidence of the vulnerability of electoral infrastructure.
It said it will assess INEC’s performance in eight key areas, including early distribution of materials, timely opening of polls, priority voting for Persons with Disabilities, knowledge of procedures by ad-hoc staff, efficacy of the BVAS, transmission of results to the IReV portal, vote trading and transparent collation.
On security, the group noted the deployment of 15,000 police personnel, 10,210 NSCDC officials and 100 EFCC operatives, alongside heavy military presence. It urged security agencies to effectively cover flashpoints, adhere to rules of engagement, proactively arrest vote buyers and document electoral violence for prosecution.
The Situation Room called on INEC to maintain transparency and provide timely updates on the movement of materials, contingency arrangements and any changes in polling locations due to security concerns. It stressed that insecurity must not be used as a pretext for arbitrary cancellation or relocation of polling activities.
It further urged Osun residents not to allow political actors, thugs or purveyors of fake news to deprive them of their democratic rights, to reject violence and to verify information before sharing.
The Situation Room pledged to continue monitoring the security and electoral environment throughout the pre-election, Election Day and post-election periods.
