Dele Momodu: Osun Governorship Election Already Resembles War, Says INEC Must Rebuild Public Trust

By Sunday Ameh

Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, has expressed concern over the rising political tension ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election, warning that the atmosphere surrounding the poll already resembles a war.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Momodu said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had lost the confidence of many Nigerians and must take deliberate steps to restore public trust in the country’s electoral process.

He argued that many Nigerians no longer believe the electoral umpire can conduct free, fair and credible elections, describing the commission as “impotent” in the eyes of the public.

“I think INEC has a lot of work to do and a lot of grounds to cover for the majority of Nigerians to believe they are serious as an umpire,” he said.
According to him, years of disputed elections have created widespread distrust among voters, making it difficult for citizens to have confidence in the commission.

Momodu likened the current perception of INEC to a Yoruba proverb about repeated betrayal, saying Nigerians have become sceptical because of past experiences.

He also pointed to the build-up to the Osun governorship election as evidence of growing political tension, noting that the contest already appears to resemble a conflict despite involving only one of Nigeria’s 36 states.

The media entrepreneur alleged that security personnel and political thugs had already been deployed to the state as rival political camps traded accusations and verbal attacks.

He recalled the peaceful conduct of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, lamenting that Nigeria’s electoral process has deteriorated instead of improving.

According to Momodu, credible elections depend not only on the electoral commission but also on the willingness of political leaders to allow transparent and fair contests.

He urged INEC to take concrete steps to restore public confidence ahead of future elections, stressing that democracy can only thrive when citizens trust the electoral process.