Three leading contenders in Saturday’s Osun governorship election have sharpened their attacks on one another, with Governor Ademola Adeleke alleging intimidation of his supporters, APC candidate Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji demanding an account of the state’s finances, and ADC candidate Najeem Folasayo Salaam unveiling a security and women-focused agenda.
The exchanges came during an Arise News televised town hall in which the candidates presented their records and policy proposals ahead of the August 15 poll, amid growing concern over political violence in the state.
Adeleke, who is seeking another term, questioned the arrest of his supporters and suggested that political opponents would not resort to federal influence if they were confident of defeating him at the ballot.
The governor also alleged that some of his opponents had invoked President Bola Tinubu’s name in dealings with federal institutions. He said Tinubu had assured him of his commitment to a free and fair election.
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Oyebamiji, a former state Commissioner for Finance and the APC candidate, rejected Adeleke’s claims and shifted attention to the state’s finances.
He challenged the governor to account for federal allocations received by Osun during his tenure, particularly after the increased allocations associated with the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration.
Oyebamiji also disputed the account of the state’s finances under the immediate past administration. He insisted that former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola left about N15 billion for his successor.
Salaam, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, offered a different pitch: he promised to establish a N1 billion women enterprise fund and introduce smart surveillance technology if elected.
He said security operations should be decentralised through stronger community intelligence, particularly in border communities and other areas vulnerable to criminal activity. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other local stakeholders, he added, would have roles in the proposed security framework.
The contest is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened concern over violence. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said it had recorded 56 politically related violent incidents and 14 fatalities in Osun over the past year, with 36 incidents occurring in May and June.
SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to document and publicly report incidents of threats, intimidation, and violence while taking preventive steps to protect candidates and voters.
Security concerns intensified after suspected rival cult groups clashed in Ilesa between Monday night and Tuesday morning which left five people reportedly dead. Three victims were killed around Imo during an alleged confrontation involving Aiye and Eiye confraternities, while another two were reportedly killed in a reprisal attack around Boluwaduro.
The Osun police command said Commissioner of Police Samuel Erale Etaifo had ordered the deployment of Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU) operatives to prevent further escalation and arrest those responsible.
The political temperature was further raised by a controversial comment attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East. The senator had appeared in a viral video speaking in Yoruba and directing supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party.
Fadahunsi subsequently clarified through his media office that he was referring to defeating the Accord Party with votes, not physical violence. His statement was titled, “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence”, and he described the comment as an appeal for supporters to reject the party through lawful and peaceful voting on Saturday.
The town hall featured five of the 14 candidates cleared for the election. Alongside Adeleke, Oyebamiji and Salaam were the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) candidate, Rasaq Saliu, and African Action Congress (AAC) candidate, Olajide Esan.
With the election only days away, the competing claims have placed security, public finances, welfare, and the credibility of the electoral process at the centre of the final campaign debate.
