Osun State Governorship Candidates Sign Peace Accord Ahead of August 15 Election
Seventeen days before the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, Governor Ademola Adeleke, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, and twelve other candidates have signed a peace accord ahead of the poll.
The ceremony, organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was attended by representatives of the 14 political parties contesting the election. Candidates who could not be present were represented by party officials.
Oyebamiji was represented by his running mate, Kayode Adereti, and other APC leaders, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salam, stood in for party officials, including the state chairman.
Traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, witnessed the signing, alongside the NPC convener, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; the Inspector‑General of Police, represented by Assistant Inspector‑General Fasuba Olabode; and INEC Chairman Prof. Ojo Amupitan.
In his opening remarks, former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onaiyekan urged political actors and stakeholders to take responsibility for ensuring a free, fair and credible election.
“There is a need to embrace a peaceful poll. This election will go. I urge you to respect all the dictates of the Peace Accord you are all signing today.”
Cardinal John Onaiyekan
The police representative assured residents that officers would act professionally before, during and after the election, adding that election‑duty personnel had already begun arriving in the state.
“Don’t entertain any fear. Police have started entering the state for election duty. Only the recognised security agencies will be allowed for election duties. All things will go well before, during, and after the election,” he said.
INEC Chairman Prof. Ojo Amupitan commended the NPC for the initiative, stating that the accord would support the commission’s efforts to conduct a peaceful election. He noted that INEC is working with anti‑graft agencies and the Office of the Attorney‑General of the Federation to combat vote‑buying.
“We are attacking vote‑buying head‑on. In direct synergy with the EFCC and ICPC and the Office of the Attorney‑General of the Federation, plainclothes financial intelligence officers will saturate polling unit perimeters. Anyone attempting to buy or sell votes, whether through physical cash or digital transfers, will be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.”
Prof. Ojo Amupitan
The Ooni of Ife appealed to residents not to allow politicians to use them to perpetrate violence or electoral malpractice, warning that political tension in the state is too high and urging citizens not to become victims of rivalries.
“Power belongs to the people; power is in the hands of all of us. So I want to appeal to each and every one of us. We do not want violence.”
Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife
He added, “The political tension is too much, and you know our political gladiators. I always tell everybody there is no permanent friend among them; we are the ones who will suffer. Later on, they will go and align and leave all of us behind. They are always aligning, agreeing, and disagreeing. But what is critical is that Osun is bigger than all of us.”
About the Author
