By Opeyemi Adelakun
With less than 48 hours to the Osun State governorship election, an increasingly charged political atmosphere has raised fresh concerns over the safety of voters, the conduct of security personnel and the credibility of the poll.
What began as a contest for the Osun Government House has, in recent days, been accompanied by allegations of threats, political intimidation, arrests, vote buying and possible attempts to restrict opposition activity.
The competing claims have come from political parties, candidates, civil society organisations and elected officials, making Saturday’s election one of the most closely watched governorship contests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the centre of the latest controversy is Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, who was questioned by the police on Wednesday over a viral video in which he was allegedly heard threatening members of the Accord Party.
Fadahunsi spent more than two hours at the Osun State Police Command before his release. He rejected the interpretation of the video, maintaining that his comments had been taken out of context.
According to the senator, he was referring to defeating his political opponents at the ballot box.
“What I said was that between now and Saturday, we will kill them with our votes.”
The explanation has not, however, ended the controversy.
Political accusations deepen
The incident has become part of a broader exchange of allegations between rival political camps.
The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has separately petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over an alleged threat attributed to Francis Eniade, an APC candidate for the Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency.
Egbedun said statements allegedly contained in a viral video amounted to a threat to his life and those of other voters.
“This is not merely political rhetoric that should be dismissed or ignored. It is a matter that raises serious concerns about threats to life, voter intimidation and the promotion of political violence ahead of the election,” he said.
The APC, meanwhile, has defended Fadahunsi, describing the controversy surrounding the video as politically motivated and accusing Governor Ademola Adeleke’s camp of attempting to create a damaging narrative against the senator.
Fadahunsi has also turned the allegation around, accusing the governor’s administration of failing to prevent political violence in parts of Osun East.
He alleged that 30 APC members had been killed in attacks over the past month, a claim that requires independent verification.
The competing allegations have further complicated an already tense electoral environment.
Opposition raises alarm
Beyond the immediate confrontation between politicians, opposition parties have expressed concern over the conduct of security and law-enforcement agencies ahead of the election.
The African Democratic Congress alleged that there were plans to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, shortly before the poll.
The party said any invitation to Aregbesola by a security agency should follow established legal procedures, warning that his arrest on the eve of the election could affect the party’s ability to coordinate its campaign and polling operations.
The Accord Party has also written to the European Union seeking intervention over what it described as worsening political tensions, arrests and intimidation in Osun.
Its National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, alleged that at least 29 people had been killed in incidents linked to the political crisis and that more than 60 Accord supporters had been arrested.
The allegations have not been independently established, but their emergence so close to election day has heightened concerns among political observers.
Atiku warns against militarisation
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has added his voice to calls for restraint, warning against what he described as the militarisation of the electoral process.
Speaking in Abuja, Atiku said the security architecture around the election should protect voters rather than intimidate them.
“Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets. Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents.”
He described the Osun election as an important test of Nigeria’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections, urging security agencies to remain neutral.
The concern over security deployment has also been echoed by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, which warned that excessive or politically perceived deployment of security personnel could damage public confidence.
CISLAC raised concerns over alleged political thuggery, vote buying, intimidation and the reported presence of armed military personnel around the Osun office of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The organisation, however, acknowledged that heightened security could be justified where credible threats existed, insisting that such deployment must have a clear legal basis and respect citizens’ rights.
INEC makes last-minute ballot adjustment
While political tensions dominate the headlines, the Independent National Electoral Commission has also made a significant late adjustment to the ballot.
INEC announced that the Social Democratic Party candidate, Francis Olugbenga Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, would be included in Saturday’s election following a Federal High Court judgment.
The commission said it had begun reproducing ballot papers to accommodate the candidate and that the new materials would arrive in Osun ahead of the election.
The development adds another layer to preparations for a poll already attracting intense attention from political parties and civil society groups.
Adeleke declares work-free day
In a move aimed at facilitating participation, Governor Adeleke declared Friday a work-free day for public servants in the state.
The Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina, said the directive applies to public workers except those performing emergency and essential duties.
The governor urged residents and workers to travel where necessary and participate in the election.
But the administration’s decision comes against the backdrop of allegations from opposition groups that the state has become increasingly polarised.
The bigger issue: Will voters feel safe?
The most immediate question now is whether the competing allegations will translate into actual violence or remain part of the intense political contest surrounding the election.
Civil society organisations have warned that inflammatory statements, political thuggery, vote buying and intimidation could discourage voters from turning out.
The Yoruba for Democratic Values has similarly appealed to politicians and their supporters not to turn the election into a battle for survival, warning that violence would carry consequences beyond the political arena.
The concerns are significant because an election can be technically organised and still lose public confidence if voters believe that their safety is not guaranteed or that political actors are being treated unequally.
For security agencies, the challenge is therefore twofold: preventing violence while ensuring that their presence does not itself become a source of fear or accusations of partisan interference.
For political parties, the immediate responsibility is to restrain their supporters, reject violence and allow voters to make their choices without coercion.
And for INEC, the credibility of Saturday’s exercise will depend not only on the accuracy of the ballot but also on whether voters can freely access polling units, cast their votes and leave without intimidation.
With the election now hours away, Osun stands at a critical point.
The competing allegations may ultimately prove unfounded, exaggerated or politically motivated. But unless they are addressed transparently, the suspicion they have generated could linger long after the votes are counted.
Saturday’s election will therefore be judged not only by who wins the governorship, but by whether the people of Osun are allowed to choose their next governor freely, peacefully and without fear.
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