The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, one of the civil society organisations observing the Osun State governorship election, has expressed concern over the tense political atmosphere ahead of Saturday’s poll.

The organisation raised the concerns during a press briefing in Osogbo, the state capital, on Friday.

Co-Convener of the Situation Room, MMA Odi, said the organisation had followed with concern reports of politically motivated clashes involving political actors and their supporters, attacks and intimidation, tensions surrounding motor parks and transport unions, allegations of political thuggery, deaths and arrests of political actors, as well as increasingly hostile rhetoric among political parties and their supporters.

According to the Situation Room, the situation is particularly troubling as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has identified 385 election flashpoints across 13 local government areas in the state as areas at high risk of violence.

The organisation also expressed concern over the delayed arrival of sensitive election materials, which it said arrived at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, following the reprinting of ballot papers to include the candidate of the Social Democratic Party.

The Situation Room stressed the need for adequate protection of election personnel, materials and facilities, citing the reported attack on the INEC distribution centre in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, during which Permanent Voter Cards and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices were reportedly stolen.

On security, the organisation noted the heavy deployment of military personnel for the election and urged all security agencies to conduct themselves responsibly and in accordance with the law.

It also called on the police to properly document evidence of violence, electoral infractions and vote-buying, identify those responsible and share relevant information with INEC.

The Situation Room further urged political parties to refrain from actions that could undermine the election, citing allegations of political violence and rivalry between the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress.

It called on all political parties and their supporters to support the conduct of a free, fair and credible election.

The organisation also appealed to the people of Osun State not to allow political actors, thugs or purveyors of disinformation to deprive them of their democratic rights.

“The Situation Room will continue to monitor the security and electoral environment in Osun State and will document and report incidents that threaten the credibility, peacefulness and integrity of the electoral process,” Odi said.

Amnesty International Nigeria has invited Nigerians to sign an online petition calling for action over comments attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The organisation made the call on Friday in a series of posts on its official X account.

Amnesty said the petition was aimed at ensuring that Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, faces justice over the remarks, which it described as inciting violence.

“Online petition to ensure that Sen. Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi face justice for inciting violence ahead of Osun election is ready! You can sign here,” Amnesty said.

The human rights organisation also stressed the need to protect the rights of Osun residents to participate freely in the election.

“The human rights of the people of Osun state must be upheld and protected. People must be free to vote — without anything or anyone undermining their right to make political choices,” it said.

Amnesty further called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to investigate the remarks attributed to Fadahunsi.


“Allegations of incitement to violence ahead of the Osun election require urgent action. We call for a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the reported remarks attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi and accountability where the evidence establishes a criminal offence.

“Political differences must never become a justification for violence,” it added.

The development follows a video that circulated on social media earlier in the week, showing Fadahunsi addressing supporters in Ilesa ahead of Saturday’s election.

The senator was heard speaking in Yoruba in remarks that were interpreted as a threat against members of the Accord Party.

Following the backlash, Fadahunsi, through his media office, clarified that he was referring to defeating the Accord Party with votes and not physically attacking its members.

In a statement titled “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence, Senator Fadahunsi Tells APC,” he described the comment as political and metaphorical and denied advocating violence or intimidation.

The senator also urged his supporters to maintain peace and allow voters to freely exercise their rights.

The Osun State Police Command subsequently invited Fadahunsi to clarify the remarks.

The invitation, dated August 11, directed him to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo over statements the police described as potentially “threatening, inciting and intimidating”.

Fadahunsi honoured the invitation on Wednesday and was questioned by police for more than two hours before leaving the command.

The police said the invitation was a proactive measure intended to reduce political tension ahead of the election.

The petition comes as Osun voters prepare to elect their governor on Saturday, August 15, amid heightened political tensions and concerns over electoral violence.

President Bola Tinubu has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State.

The election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 15 candidates contesting the governorship seat.

Among the candidates are the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam.

In a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu urged INEC to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and provide a transparent and orderly election.


“As the people of Osun State head to the polling units to elect who will govern them in the next four years, I call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure orderly conduct of the election. The election must be transparent, free and fair. I urge INEC to ensure the integrity of the process,” Tinubu said.

He urged INEC to use the election as an opportunity to demonstrate its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

“INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians their full preparedness for the 2027 polls,” he added.

The President also directed the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security agencies deployed for the election to ensure adequate protection for voters and electoral officials.

“I have charged the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security outfits taking part in the election to provide maximum security at polling units. No room should be allowed for troublemakers to disrupt the process,” he said.

Tinubu further stressed the need to protect voters and electoral officials from intimidation, urging residents to participate in the election without fear.

“Electoral officials and voters must be protected so they can perform their civic duties without fear or intimidation,” he said.

The President urged voters to come out and exercise their constitutional right while refraining from actions capable of disrupting the election.

“Voters should feel confident to go out in their numbers to vote for the candidate of their choice as all measures necessary to ensure a peaceful, free and fair election have been put in place,” he said.

Tinubu said the credibility of the election would depend on whether its outcome accurately reflected the choice of Osun voters.

“Our elections must be credible, and the outcome of the Osun Governorship election must reflect the will of the people,” the President declared.