By Happy Bayo | National News
Tension is mounting across Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Accord Party claiming that a combined 18 of their members have been killed during the electioneering period.
The allegations have heightened concerns over the safety of voters, political party supporters and election officials as security agencies intensify preparations for the poll.
Several parts of the state, including Osogbo, Ede, Ile-Ife, Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu and Ikire, have emerged as areas of concern following reported cases of shootings, attacks on political supporters, clashes and alleged assassination attempts.
The two parties have, however, traded accusations over responsibility for the violence, with each side denying involvement in attacks attributed to its members.
An Accord Party member, Kolade Eluyera, was reportedly killed in Irewole Local Government Area in May. The party attributed the incident to alleged supporters of the APC, a claim the APC rejected.
On June 3, the Accord chairman in Osogbo Local Government Area, Asimiyu Ajibola, was reportedly shot by gunmen and subsequently hospitalised.
Another Accord supporter, Ajayi Rogba, was later reportedly killed in Esa-Oke amid heightened political activities in the state.
Campaign activities in Ede, Osogbo and other communities have also reportedly been disrupted by clashes, shootings and attacks on campaign convoys.
APC Claims 10 Members Killed
The APC Campaign Council claimed that at least 10 of its members had been killed during the campaign period in different parts of the state.
A member of the campaign council, Kehinde Ayantunji, said the reported deaths occurred in places including Ilesa, Iwo, Osogbo and Ijebu-Ijesa.
He described the situation as unfortunate, stressing that no election should cost the life of any citizen.
Ayantunji said the effectiveness of the security deployment should not be measured solely by the number of personnel deployed, but by their professionalism, equipment, logistics and ability to protect voters and ensure that every vote counts.
He urged the police and other security agencies to provide adequate protection across the state’s 3,761 polling units.
Accord Claims Eight Members Lost
The Accord Party, on its part, claimed that eight of its members had lost their lives to political violence since the commencement of the campaign.
The party’s Media Director, Oladele Bamiji, identified Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu, Ikire and Osogbo among areas where killings had allegedly occurred.
Bamiji described the development as frightening and urged authorities to strengthen security arrangements ahead of the election.
He also questioned whether the deployment of 15,000 police personnel would be sufficient to secure the state’s numerous polling units.
Civil Society Group Raises Alarm Over Police Deployment
Meanwhile, the Osun Masterminds, a coalition of civil society organisations, criticised the deployment of 15,000 policemen for the election, describing it as excessive and capable of creating fear among voters.
The group’s spokesperson, Ayo Ologunde, argued that deploying such a large number of police personnel could amount to the militarisation of the electoral process and potentially discourage voter participation.
He also warned that moving a large number of police officers to Osun could create security gaps in neighbouring states, which criminals might exploit during the election period.
Group Backs Security Deployment
However, the Convener of Dialogue 365, Saka Waheed, defended the deployment, saying the security presence was necessary given the violence recorded during the electioneering period.
Waheed argued that stakeholders had demanded adequate protection and should therefore welcome the deployment, provided the personnel conduct themselves professionally and respect the rights of citizens.
He said stronger security arrangements would help prevent hoodlums from disrupting the electoral process and ensure that voters could freely exercise their franchise.
A former chairman of the Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, also supported the deployment.
Oyintiloye said the decision could have been informed by intelligence available to the Federal Government, adding that increased security presence during elections was not unusual.
He, however, urged security agencies to remain professional and respond decisively to cases of violence while intensifying public sensitisation to encourage citizens to participate in the election without fear.
13 Election-Related Deaths Recorded — Kimpact
Separately, the Kimpact Development Initiative reportedly documented 44 election-related violent incidents in Osun between October 2025 and June 2026, resulting in 13 fatalities.
The figure differs from the combined 18 deaths claimed separately by the APC and Accord Party, and the parties’ combined allegation has not been independently established as a single overall death toll.
With the election only six days away, concerns are growing that unresolved political tensions could trigger further violence before, during or after the poll.
Stakeholders have therefore called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint while urging security agencies to ensure that the heavy deployment is used to protect voters, election officials and the integrity of the electoral process rather than intimidate the electorate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies are expected to maintain close monitoring of identified flashpoints as Osun moves towards the August 15 governorship election.
