The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, has appealed to the British High Commission and the international community to closely monitor the 2026 Osun State governorship election over concerns about alleged political violence and intimidation.
Oyebamiji made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the British High Commission to the APC Campaign Office in Osogbo, stressing that international observation would help boost public confidence in the electoral process.
According to the APC candidate, members and supporters of the party have allegedly been subjected to politically motivated attacks since 2022, creating anxiety ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
“The Campaign Council is deeply concerned about the escalating atmosphere of political violence, intimidation and thuggery targeted at members and supporters of the APC by individuals associated with the Osun State Government and Governor Ademola Adeleke,” he said.
Oyebamiji disclosed that the party had reported its concerns to the Nigeria Police and urged security agencies to conduct thorough, impartial and professional investigations into all allegations of political violence.
He claimed that party records showed that more than 40 APC members and supporters had allegedly been victims of politically related attacks across different parts of the state since 2022.
The APC flag bearer cited incidents in Osogbo, Ota Efun, Ilesa, Irewole and Otan Ayegbaju, including alleged killings of party members and supporters, as well as the reported kidnapping and killing of an APC ward treasurer during the 2023 presidential campaign.
Oyebamiji further alleged that some suspects linked to the incidents had either been declared wanted by the police or accused in connection with the attacks, and called for all pending cases to be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Appealing for sustained election observation, he said monitoring before, during and after the poll would help ensure a credible, peaceful and transparent electoral process.
“We respectfully appeal to the British High Commission and other members of the international community to continue paying close attention to developments in Osun State before, during and after the election,” he added.
He also reaffirmed the APC Campaign Council’s commitment to democratic principles, constitutional governance and peaceful political participation, noting that party members had been directed to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies.
The development comes a day after the British High Commission delegation visited Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who called for economic sanctions and visa bans against political figures allegedly involved in fostering violence ahead of the election.
Governor Adeleke accused some political leaders of encouraging violent activities through their supporters, resulting in killings and gun attacks across the state.
In response, the Osun APC accused the governor of misleading the visiting British delegation by presenting what it described as inaccurate information regarding the security situation and allegations of political violence in the state.
With the August 15 governorship election drawing closer, concerns over security and the conduct of political actors continue to dominate discussions among stakeholders in Osun State.
Comments