The race for the Osun State governorship has intensified, with senior figures of the All Progressives Congress (APC) descending on the state to canvass support for the party’s candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the August 15 election.
Governors Monday Okpebholo of Edo and Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi, alongside Minister of Works David Umahi and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, urged Osun voters to vote out incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and hand the state to the APC.
The campaign push came during the official flag-off in Osogbo of the construction of the Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan Road and the reconstruction of the Gbongan-Osogbo Road, projects being undertaken under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on behalf of the President, Oyetola presented Oyebamiji as an experienced politician with the capacity to provide what he described as purposeful and development-focused leadership.
He argued that the APC candidate possesses the administrative experience and political understanding required to reposition Osun and establish stronger cooperation between the state and the Federal Government.
Oyetola said the election provides Osun voters with an opportunity to strengthen the state’s connection to the centre and take greater advantage of the Federal Government’s infrastructure and development programmes.
Umahi similarly threw his weight behind the APC candidate, describing Oyebamiji as “President Tinubu’s political son.”
The Works Minister maintained that an APC victory would create room for closer collaboration between Osun and the Federal Government, potentially opening the way for more infrastructure projects, employment opportunities and economic expansion.
APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, also appealed to voters to give the party a decisive mandate, pointing to the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure projects as evidence of what he said was the APC’s commitment to development.
Okpebholo, for his part, argued that effective governance goes beyond political promises, saying leaders must demonstrate practical capacity, planning and the ability to translate policies into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Ododo also called on Osun voters to support Oyebamiji, framing an APC victory as a means of consolidating the development agenda of the Tinubu administration at the state level.
While political parties intensify their campaigns, security preparations for the election have also come under increasing attention.
The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, has directed soldiers deployed for the election to maintain professionalism, political neutrality and strict compliance with the military’s Code of Conduct for election duties.
The directive is intended to ensure that the military’s involvement in the poll remains within its constitutional and operational mandate and does not compromise the credibility of the electoral process.
However, concerns have emerged over alleged police neutrality following claims that some leaders of the Accord Party in the state were arrested on the orders of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan.
The allegations have added another layer to an already highly charged electoral contest, although the claims and the circumstances surrounding the alleged arrests remain a matter of contention.
Amid the APC offensive, Governor Adeleke has continued to mobilise support for his re-election, urging Osun voters not only to participate in the election but also to stand up for the integrity of their ballots.
Adeleke has repeatedly framed voter participation as a constitutional right, calling on residents to resist intimidation and remain determined to exercise their franchise.
His campaign message has centred on continuity, democratic participation and the need for voters to protect their votes.
With the August 15 poll drawing closer, the contest is increasingly shaping up as a battle between Adeleke’s bid to retain power and the APC’s attempt to bring Osun under the same political control as the Federal Government.
Beyond the candidates themselves, the election is also becoming a test of voter confidence, security agencies’ neutrality and the ability of political actors to conduct a competitive campaign without undermining the credibility of the democratic process.
