You can’t bar Obi, Atiku from campaigning in Osun, lawyer tells Oluwo

A legal challenge has emerged against a declaration by the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, which reportedly barred all presidential candidates from campaigning in Osun State, with the exception of President Bola Tinubu. Lawyer Damilare Adenola has deemed the monarch's statement unconstitutional, asserting that traditional rulers lack the authority to restrict the campaign rights of political candidates.

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The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, recently declared at a public function that no presidential candidate should campaign in Osun State ahead of the 2027 election except President Bola Tinubu, effectively barring candidates such as Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Atiku Abubakar (ADC), Peter Obi (NDC), and Governor Seyi Makinde (APM). This is unconstitutional and cannot stand.

Adenola argued that such a restriction infringes upon citizens' fundamental rights guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and movement. The lawyer specifically mentioned that candidates like Omoyele Sowore, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi would be unlawfully prevented from campaigning if the declaration were enforced.

The lawyer further referenced the Electoral Act 2026, emphasizing that the regulation of political campaigns falls under the purview of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not traditional rulers. He stressed that no individual, regardless of their position, can legally deny candidates their constitutional right to campaign anywhere in Nigeria without due process.

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Not even the President or a court can arbitrarily bar a candidate from campaigning anywhere in the country, except by lawful order after due process. A traditional ruler, whose authority is limited to cultural and customary matters within his domain, has no such power.

Adenola called upon INEC and relevant security agencies to uphold the law and ensure that all presidential candidates are permitted to campaign freely within Osun State. He reiterated that candidates retain the right to campaign across the nation, and authorities should guarantee this freedom.

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Section 99(1), which subjects campaigns to rules made by INEC, reinforces the point: it is INEC, not a monarch, that regulates how and where candidates campaign.