Osun Election: Council of the Wise Warns Against Violence, Demands Credible Poll

OSOGBO: The Council of the Wise of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development has warned political actors against violence ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The council, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, also urged electoral and security authorities to protect the integrity of the poll.

It called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to ensure a free, fair, transparent and credible election.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the warning comes just days before Osun voters decide who will govern the state for the next four years.

The intervention is particularly significant because the election is taking place after months of political tension, allegations of intimidation and documented incidents of election-related violence.

The Council of the Wise was reconstituted in June by the Savannah Centre under the leadership of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

Its mandate includes engaging political leaders, INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders to prevent electoral violence and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.

Ariwoola’s council enters the Osun contest

The council’s intervention reflects a broader concern that Nigeria’s off-cycle elections can become testing grounds for political violence.

Osun has already generated enough warning signs. INEC previously identified 385 potential flashpoints and 200 difficult terrains in its security assessment for the state’s August 15 election.

The National Peace Committee also identified 15 local government areas as areas of concern, while the Kukah Centre separately warned about 15 election violence flashpoints.

The warnings have come amid accusations from rival political camps.Candidates and parties have repeatedly traded allegations involving intimidation, violence, vote buying and other forms of electoral misconduct.

The Council of the Wise is therefore entering a political environment where the temperature is already high.Its message is simple: political competition must not become a justification for bloodshed.

Violence is already part of the election story

The council’s warning cannot be separated from what has happened in Osun during the campaign.

Recent monitoring has recorded dozens of election-related violent incidents in the state since October 2025. The concentration of incidents has also increased as the election approached.

That pattern is particularly troubling. Political violence that intensifies shortly before voting can move quickly from campaign confrontations to attacks around polling units, electoral materials and collation centres.

ValidViewNetwork reports that previous election cycles have shown how seemingly isolated political clashes can escalate when rival supporters converge around polling locations.

The Savannah Centre itself has long identified election violence as a major threat to Nigeria’s democratic development. Its Council of the Wise intervention model was originally established to help detect electoral risks early, engage political actors and reduce the possibility of violence.

INEC must protect its independence

The Council’s appeal also places responsibility directly on INEC. The electoral commission is expected to conduct the election without favouring any candidate or political party.

That requires more than announcing results.It requires transparent procedures, consistent enforcement of electoral rules and protection of the voting process from interference.

INEC must ensure that electoral materials arrive at polling units.Officials must be allowed to work without intimidation.

Voters must be able to cast their ballots without fear. And the collation process must remain transparent enough for competing parties to understand how the results were produced.

The security agencies have an equally difficult responsibility. They must prevent violence without becoming instruments of political intimidation. That distinction could determine how the Osun election is remembered.Security agencies face a crucial test

The warning from Ariwoola’s council comes as security agencies are mounting a major operation for the election.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has deployed 10,210 personnel and specialised tactical units across Osun.

The Nigeria Police Force has separately announced the deployment of 15,000 personnel.

The scale of the operation reflects the seriousness of the security concerns surrounding the poll.

But the presence of thousands of security personnel does not automatically produce a credible election.

Their conduct will matter more than their numbers. They must protect voters regardless of political affiliation. They must respond to violence regardless of who starts it.

And they must resist pressure from politicians who may attempt to turn security personnel into partisan instruments.

That is why the Council of the Wise’s call for impartiality matters.

Political leaders have a responsibility too

The responsibility for a peaceful election does not rest entirely with INEC and security agencies. Political parties and candidates must also control their supporters.

The Council of the Wise was created on the premise that electoral peace requires engagement with political actors rather than relying only on security measures.

That approach remains relevant in Osun.

No security deployment can permanently compensate for politicians who deliberately inflame supporters.

No number of police officers can police every street if political actors decide that violence is an acceptable campaign strategy.

And no election can be described as credible if voters stay away because they fear being attacked.

The candidates therefore face a simple test. They must compete aggressively, but within the rules. They must challenge electoral irregularities through lawful channels.

And if the result goes against them, they must use the courts rather than the streets. That principle has also been central to previous interventions by the Council of the Wise.

During the 2023 election cycle, the council urged candidates dissatisfied with election outcomes to seek redress through constitutional and judicial channels rather than violence.

The voter must remain at the centre

There is an easy way to measure whether the warnings have worked. Look at the voter. Can a voter in Osogbo walk into a polling unit without fear? Can a voter in Irewole, Ede, Ife or another identified flashpoint vote without political intimidation? Can electoral officials perform their duties without threats? Can security personnel intervene without partisan bias?

If the answer to those questions is yes, then the security operation will have achieved something meaningful. If the answer is no, then the deployment of thousands of personnel will have achieved little more than creating the appearance of security.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Council of the Wise has placed the responsibility for a credible Osun election squarely before INEC, security agencies, political parties and voters.

The council’s warning also carries a broader message. An election is a contest for political power, not a licence for political violence.

Osun’s candidates have the right to fight for every vote. They do not have the right to fight the voters.

The security agencies have the duty to protect the election. They do not have the right to manipulate it.

And INEC has the responsibility to count legitimate votes accurately and transparently.

The final verdict belongs to the people of Osun. Everything else should be designed to ensure that they can deliver it without fear.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Council of the Wise has entered the final days of the Osun election with a warning that should concern every political actor; victory obtained through intimidation would be a defeat for democracy itself.