As preparations intensify for the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, opposition political parties under the umbrella of The Democrats have expressed confidence in the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a peaceful, credible and transparent poll.
The parties gave the assurance on Friday after separate courtesy visits to the Osun State offices of INEC and the Nigeria Police Command in Osogbo.
Speaking during the visit to the electoral commission, the Osun State Chairman of the Labour Party, Mustapha Adebayo Muideen, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said the visit was aimed at receiving firsthand information on INEC’s level of preparedness for the governorship election.
According to him, political parties are critical stakeholders in the electoral process and serve as a bridge between the electoral umpire and the electorate, making it necessary to remain informed about the commission’s plans ahead of the poll.
“We came to engage with INEC to understand the level of preparation for the election. As stakeholders, it is important for us to be abreast of the processes and ensure that everything is on course for a credible exercise,” he said.
The coalition later proceeded to the Osun State Police Command headquarters, where its members sought assurances on the security arrangements for the election.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the Assistant Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Waheed Adediran, said the parties were concerned about the political tension and recent developments in parts of the state.
He noted that the coalition considered it necessary to engage the police leadership to ensure that adequate security measures would be put in place to protect voters and electoral officials before, during and after the election.
“We are concerned about the happenings in the state and felt it was important to seek assurances from the police that voters will be safe to freely exercise their constitutional right without intimidation or fear,” Adediran said.
Responding on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, senior officers of the command, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations and the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, assured the delegation that the command was fully prepared to secure lives and property throughout the election period.
The police leadership reiterated its commitment to providing a peaceful environment for all eligible voters, political parties and election officials, stressing that security personnel would remain professional and impartial in the discharge of their duties.
Political parties represented during the visits included the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), National Rescue Movement (NRM), African Democratic Party (ADP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Alliance Congress (AAC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), All Progressives Congress (APC), National Democratic Party (NDP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), among others.
The visits come as political parties and security agencies continue consultations ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with stakeholders calling for a peaceful, free and credible electoral process across Osun State.
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