Osun Election: Tension as INEC holds stakeholders’ meeting ahead of governorship poll

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

There was tension on Wednesday at the venue of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ meeting in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had arrived in the state on Tuesday and paid courtesy visits to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other traditional rulers.

However, the stakeholders’ meeting, held at Atlantis Hall and attended by political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders, was disrupted by intermittent exchanges between supporters of the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The meeting began peacefully but became rowdy when the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, was invited to address participants. While some attendees applauded his remarks, others booed, creating a noisy atmosphere that made it difficult for participants to follow his speech.

A similar situation occurred when the Chairman of the Imole Campaign Council Media Directorate, Hon. Bamidele Salam, attempted to speak, as some participants also interrupted his remarks.

Outside the venue, a group of protesters, mainly women, staged a peaceful demonstration, calling for a credible governorship election. They carried placards with inscriptions including, “We want peace in Osun, not war” and “Osun election must be free and fair.”

Meanwhile, the APC Campaign Council, through its spokesperson, Remi Omowaye, alleged that the protest was sponsored by the Accord Party to disrupt the stakeholders’ meeting.

Security was reinforced around the venue, with armed security personnel deployed both within and outside the hall to maintain order.

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