Governor urges President to safeguard vote collation as Osun election enters crucial stage
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to ensure security agencies protect the integrity of the governorship election collation process, alleging that there are attempts by unnamed politicians to disrupt or hijack collation centres across the state.
The governor made the appeal on Saturday through a public statement shared on his official social media platforms as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began collating results from polling units across Osun’s 30 local government areas.
Adeleke, who is seeking a second term as governor, described the alleged developments as worrying, urging the President to direct security chiefs deployed for the election to prevent any interference with the democratic process.
Adeleke seeks presidential intervention
In his statement, Adeleke said reports reaching him suggested that some individuals were allegedly attempting to compromise the collation stage of the election, despite the heavy deployment of security personnel across the state.
According to him, the collation centres must remain protected so that votes cast by residents are accurately reflected in the final outcome.
He called on President Tinubu to use his office to issue a firm directive to the heads of all security agencies involved in the election to ensure they remain impartial and focused on safeguarding the process.
“It is imperative that you use your good office to issue a clear warning to the heads of security agencies deployed to protect the good people of Osun State and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process,” Adeleke said.
He added that any attempt to interfere with the collation process would undermine public confidence in the election.
Concern over alleged attempts to disrupt collation
The governor said he had received reports alleging that some “desperate and rejected politicians” were seeking to interfere with collation centres in different parts of the state.
While Adeleke did not publicly identify the politicians or provide specific locations where the alleged incidents were said to be occurring, he maintained that the claims warranted urgent attention.
“Reports of attempts to hijack or disrupt collation centres by desperate and rejected politicians across the state are deeply concerning and unacceptable,” he stated.
He argued that the presence of a large number of security operatives should serve as a deterrent against any effort to compromise the process.
Call for security agencies to remain impartial
Adeleke urged all security agencies participating in election operations to strictly carry out their constitutional responsibilities without favouring any political interest.
The agencies he specifically mentioned included:
- The Nigeria Police Force
- Department of State Services (DSS)
- Nigerian Army
- Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
- Other security personnel deployed for the election
He appealed for professionalism throughout the remaining stages of the election, particularly during the collation and announcement of results.
According to him, maintaining neutrality is essential to preserving public trust in the electoral process.
Appeal to protect voters’ mandate
The governor also called on the President to reaffirm his earlier commitment that votes cast by Osun residents would determine the outcome of the governorship election.
Adeleke argued that citizens had fulfilled their civic responsibility by participating peacefully in the election and deserved assurance that their choices would be respected.
“I therefore implore you to reiterate the commitment made to the people of Osun State that their votes will count and that the outcome of this election will reflect their genuine choice,” he said.
He stressed that safeguarding the collation process was necessary to ensure the credibility of the final declaration.
Support for INEC’s ongoing process
Beyond his appeal to security agencies, Adeleke also called for continued support for the Independent National Electoral Commission as it carries out the collation exercise.
The governor urged stakeholders to allow INEC officials to complete their work without intimidation or disruption.
He said the electoral commission should be provided with every necessary assistance required to conclude the process transparently and peacefully.
According to Adeleke, respecting institutional procedures remains critical to sustaining confidence in Nigeria’s democratic system.
Election enters decisive phase
Saturday’s governorship election attracted significant attention across Osun State, with voting taking place in thousands of polling units under extensive security arrangements coordinated by federal security agencies and INEC.
As polls closed and result collation commenced, political parties shifted their attention to ward and local government collation centres, where polling unit results are aggregated before the final statewide declaration.
The collation stage is regarded as one of the most sensitive phases of the electoral process because it determines how results move from polling units to the final announcement by INEC.
Political tension remains high
The governor’s statement came amid heightened political tension surrounding the election, which has witnessed intense campaigning and allegations from competing political camps in recent weeks.
Security agencies had earlier announced extensive deployments across the state to maintain law and order throughout the exercise, while INEC repeatedly assured voters of its readiness to conduct a credible election.
Adeleke maintained that protecting the integrity of the remaining stages of the process is essential to preserving public confidence in the outcome.
“The people of Osun State have spoken with one voice, and their voices must be heard,” the governor said.
“Their votes must be protected, and their mandate must be respected.”
As of the time of filing this report, INEC’s official collation process was continuing, while security agencies remained deployed across key collation centres throughout the state.
