Osun Election: Adeleke Raises Alarm Over Fresh Plot as Results Head to Collation Centres

Osun State Governor and Accord Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to withdraw security personnel from polling units and collation centres across the state as the collation of results from Saturday’s governorship election begins.

Adeleke stated that the move, if carried out, would expose voters, Independent National Electoral Commission officials and other election personnel to attacks by suspected political thugs.

In a post on his official X handle on Saturday evening, the governor called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevent what he described as an attempt to undermine the election.

“I have just been reliably informed that some unscrupulous persons have given a directive to withdraw security agents from polling units and collation centres across Osun State. This will expose innocent voters, INEC officials and personnel to grave danger from rampaging APC thugs,” Adeleke wrote.

“The IGP, DG DSS should not allow desperate politicians to truncate Osun election. Mr. President @officialABAT should intervene now!”

Recall that the governor had earlier condemned the arrest of the Osun State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sunday Bisi, and demanded his immediate release.

According to a statement issued by Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Bisi was arrested at his residence in Ilesa shortly after returning from voting.

Adeleke said the PDP chairman was taken to an undisclosed location and that no reason had been given for his arrest.

The governor alleged that Bisi’s arrest was part of a broader attempt to intimidate his supporters and prevent them from monitoring the collation of results across the state.

“This latest sweep on my supporters, I have authoritatively learnt, is part of a broader plan to give the APC unhindered access to change results at collation centres and upturn our wins at the poll,” Adeleke alleged.

He described any interference with the collation process as an attack on democracy and urged security agencies and other relevant authorities to ensure that state institutions were not used to influence the outcome of the election.

Adeleke also called for the release of Bisi and other persons he described as political prisoners across Osun State.

“Election should be about the people freely giving their mandates to the person of their choice without threat or force,” he said.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, urged residents and party supporters to remain calm as the collation of results begins.

Oyebamiji, in a statement posted on his social media handles, thanked Osun voters for participating in the election and commended security agencies and INEC for what he described as their professionalism.

“As the collation of results begins, I urge all our supporters and the good people of Osun to remain calm, vigilant and resolute,” he said.

The APC candidate urged voters to protect the integrity of the ballots cast and warned against any attempt by individuals to subvert the electoral process.

“Do not allow anyone, under any guise or through any means, to subvert the will of the people or undermine the mandate they have freely chosen to give us in today’s election,” Oyebamiji said.

He further called for peace and vigilance while Nigerians await the final declaration of the election result, saying, “May the will of the people prevail.”

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