DECISION TIME IN OSUN STATE…

Osun State in Nigeria is on edge as it approaches a pivotal gubernatorial election, an off-cycle contest that has become a focal point for political maneuvering and heightened tensions. The election is particularly significant as it serves as the final litmus test for electoral bodies, political parties, and security agencies before the 2027 general elections.

Adding to the pre-election fervor, President Bola Tinubu intervened by ordering the reversal of a freeze on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation account. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had frozen the account just ten days before the election, an action that drew widespread criticism and was deemed inappropriate by the president, who expressed embarrassment over the timing.

This presidential intervention has fueled existing tensions in a state already grappling with significant challenges. The election campaign has been marred by widespread violence, intimidation, and thuggery, with reports of cultists being exploited by political actors. The Inspector General of Police, Olatunde Disu, acknowledged the issues of cultism, noting how existing animosities are exploited by different parties. Approximately 13 out of 30 local government areas have been identified as high-risk zones due to recurring violence and fatalities.

The climate of instability is exacerbated by the paralysis of the local government system and the state's financial struggles, having managed for 15 months without statutory funds. The dispute over these allocations has persisted despite Supreme Court intervention. Fourteen candidates are vying for the governorship, with the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, now of the Accord Party after defecting from the PDP, facing a primary contest against contenders from major parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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We have issues of cultism in Osun already. It became easier for different parties to attack each other using the existing animosity in the state.