President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged residents of Osun State to come out en masse and exercise their franchise in Saturday’s governorship election, assuring them of adequate security before, during and after the poll.
Akpabio gave the assurance yesterday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) mega rally in Osogbo, the state capital, as political parties intensified their campaigns ahead of the August 15, 2026 election.
The Senate President urged voters to freely choose their preferred candidates, while advising them to make informed decisions and resist any form of intimidation.
“For the good people of Osun State, feel free to go out and exercise your franchise on Saturday. Feel free to go out and vote for the candidate of your party, the party of your choice,” Akpabio said.
“But my advice will be: choose wisely. Please, don’t feel intimidated. Social media is not the same thing as the polling unit. We are saying go to the polling units; you will not be molested.”
Akpabio said President Bola Tinubu had directed security agencies to provide adequate protection for voters and ensure that the election was conducted peacefully.
“The President is saying that he has put in place enough security for the good people of Osun State in general to vote peacefully come Saturday, 15th of August, 2026,” he said.
“Nobody is going to be harassed, and this is a pointer to the fact that he believes truly in democracy and democratic governance. He is not ready to allow any group of people to molest democracy or to molest any citizen.”
He also appealed to political actors and residents to exercise restraint, particularly in the face of provocative comments and exchanges on social media.
“Even if you’re molested on social media, I think you should ensure restraint. Remain peaceful. Osun is going to have a very peaceful election. We don’t have need for violence; we are not violent,” Akpabio said.
The rally was attended by several senior APC figures, including Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma; APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; and Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin.
The election is expected to be closely contested, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party seeking another term, while the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, is among the major challengers.
The campaign has been characterised by heightened political activity and allegations of inflammatory rhetoric, prompting increased security preparations across the state.
More than 25,000 security personnel have reportedly been deployed for the election, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has maintained that preparations for the poll are on course.
Fifteen candidates are on the ballot, with voters across the 30 local government areas of the state expected to determine who will govern Osun State for the next four years.
