August 15: INEC Chairman Visits Osun, Seeks Royal Intervention Over Political Tension

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has appealed to traditional rulers in Osun State to prevail on politicians and political parties to ensure a peaceful governorship election on August 15.

Prof. Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday, during a visit to the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, alongside INEC National Commissioners and the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola.

The INEC boss said the Commission was in Ile-Ife to seek royal blessings and tap into the fatherly wisdom of the monarchs ahead of what he described as the most consequential off-cycle election in Nigeria.

“We are here, our royal fathers, to seek your royal blessings and tap into your fatherly wisdom. This vote is the most consequential off-cycle election in Nigeria because after this election, we move straight into the general election,” Amupitan said.

He noted that the Commission has concerns over the security situation in Osun in recent weeks, and urged the royal fathers to use their influence to caution political actors.

“As the custodian of our people, we want to appeal to our royal fathers to help us appeal to our political actors to ensure that this election is peaceful. The blood of innocent people is not worth the governorship election. Nobody should be killed or harassed,” he said.

Prof. Amupitan further assured the monarchs that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, would be deployed to guarantee that every vote counts.

“BVAS is our game-changer. All those issues of ballot paper stealing won’t affect the poll. If you are not accredited by BVAS, that vote will not be counted. So I am assuring Osun electorates that their votes will count,” he said.

“As far as we are concerned, an election is successful if it is peaceful, if it starts on time and ends on time and if the result is collated transparently. By God’s grace, we will all be happy with what will happen on the 15th of August,” he added.

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Responding, the Ooni of Ife, who spoke on behalf of the monarchs, said political tension in the state was unbearable and really worrisome.

“There is tension in Osun State right now. The political tension is so much, becoming unbearable and really worrisome. We do not want to rock the boat. We want elections to come very freely and very fairly and very justly,” Oba Ogunwusi said.

“We have been deliberating for the last five hours. Are we going to fold our hands, we traditional rulers? We should live above politics because Osun State is bigger than all those politicians. Osun State is bigger than us,” the monarch added.

The Ooni commended Amupitan for his track record and urged the Commission to remain an impartial umpire.

“Please, you are the umpire to douse the tension. You are the umpire to bring it down and make sure everything is right,” he said.

The Ooni also called on traditional rulers to embrace politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties and always tell them the truth.

Traditional rulers present at the meeting included the Orangun of Ila, Oba Abdulwahab Kayode Adedotun; Timi of Ede, Oba Adesola Lawal; Akire of Ikire, Oba Tajudeen Olanrewaju; Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode; Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdur-Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi; Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Makama Oyelude; and Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin.