Peace Accord Signed Ahead of Osun Governorship Election
Seventeen days before the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, Governor Ademola Adeleke, APC candidate Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji and twelve other candidates signed a peace accord aimed at ensuring a peaceful vote.
Key Figures and Representatives Attend Ceremony
The ceremony featured representatives from the 14 political parties contesting the election. Allied Peoples Movement standard‑bearer Adewale Adebayo and African Action Congress candidate Olajide Esan were present. Oyebamiji was represented by his running mate Kayode Adereti and other APC leaders, while the African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salam was represented by party officials, including the state chairman.
Statements from Religious and Traditional Leaders
The signing was witnessed by National Peace Committee convener Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Inspector‑General of Police Olatunji Disu (represented by Assistant Inspector‑General Fasuba Olabode of Zone XI), and INEC Chairman Prof. Ojo Amupitan. Traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, also attended. Former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onaiyekan urged all stakeholders to uphold the accord and respect a free, fair and credible election.
Police and INEC Assurances
The police representative assured residents that officers would act professionally before, during and after the election, noting that election‑duty personnel had already begun arriving in the state. INEC Chairman Amupitan praised the National Peace Committee’s initiative and said the commission is working with anti‑graft agencies and the Office of the Attorney‑General of the Federation to combat vote‑buying, adding that plainclothes financial intelligence officers will patrol polling unit perimeters and anyone attempting to buy or sell votes will be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.
Ooni of Ife’s Appeal for Peace
The Ooni of Ife appealed to residents not to be used by politicians to perpetrate violence or electoral malpractice, stating that power belongs to the people and warning against rising political tension. He emphasized that while politicians may shift alliances, the citizens will bear the consequences, and urged everyone to remember that Osun is bigger than any individual.
