President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Has Called on Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission to Use the Osun State Governorship Election

He also charged security agencies to ensure the peaceful and transparent conduct of the poll. Osun State voters will go to the polls on Saturday, August 15, 2026, to elect a governor in a race featuring 15 candidates. Among them are incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Hon.

Najeem Salaam. In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu urged Osun electorate to come out and exercise their civic responsibility. He called on voters to "eschew any act that could disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election, while assuring them of their safety before and after the polls.

"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 INEC 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, the President said.

Tinubu added: "INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians their full preparedness for the 2027 polls. The President said he had charged the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security agencies participating in the election to provide maximum security at polling units. "No room should be allowed for troublemakers to disrupt the process.

Electoral officials and voters must be protected so they can perform their civic duties without fear or intimidation, he said. 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. Our elections must be credible, and the outcome of the Osun Governorship election must reflect the will of the people, Tinubu declared.