RISING TENSION IN OSUN GOVERNORSHIP RACE

By Zainab Muhammad Hadi

As the August 15 Osun State governorship election draws near, political tension has intensified following allegations and counter-allegations between Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, over an alleged plot to buy voters' Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The PDP accused the APC of planning to purchase PVCs from eligible voters in a bid to influence the outcome of the election. The party described the alleged move as a threat to the credibility of the electoral process and called on security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the claims.

Reacting to the allegation, the APC dismissed the accusation as false and politically motivated. The party maintained that it had no involvement in any vote-buying scheme and instead accused the Adeleke administration of attempting to mislead the public and discredit the opposition ahead of the poll.

The development has generated concern among residents and political observers, who have urged all parties to conduct peaceful campaigns and refrain from actions capable of undermining the democratic process.

Civil society organisations have also called on INEC and security agencies to remain vigilant and ensure that the election is free, fair, and transparent. As campaigns intensify, stakeholders continue to stress the need for issue-based politics and strict adherence to electoral laws to preserve public confidence in the outcome of the governorship election.