Uchechukwu Okoroafor, Abuja
Today’s governorship election in Osun State is more than a contest for political power. It is a critical test of Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, constitutional governance and the right of citizens to freely choose their leaders.
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The warning signs could hardly be more disturbing. According to data from the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), no fewer than 73 election-related violent incidents resulting in 29 deaths have been recorded in the build-up to the election, with Osogbo reportedly the worst-hit area.
That number should shock the conscience of every Nigerian who believes in democracy.
An election is supposed to be a peaceful competition of ideas, programmes and leadership records. It must never become a battlefield where political opponents are hunted, citizens are intimidated and human lives are sacrificed for political ambition.
This is why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force and all other security agencies must understand the enormous responsibility before them today.
President Tinubu must rise above partisan considerations.
As President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his constitutional responsibility is not merely to ensure victory for his political party. His greater responsibility is to protect Nigeria’s democracy and guarantee that every eligible voter in Osun can cast a ballot without fear.
The President should therefore make it unmistakably clear that no politician, regardless of party, position or connection to government, will be protected if found to have sponsored violence, intimidation, vote buying or electoral manipulation.
The reported controversy surrounding inflammatory political statements in the state makes this responsibility even more urgent. Amnesty International has called for accountability over remarks allegedly capable of inciting violence, while the National Human Rights Commission has also demanded action over threats linked to the election.
There can be no selective application of the law.
INEC, for its part, must defend the integrity of the ballot. The Commission must ensure that polling units open on time, electoral materials arrive as required, accreditation and voting proceed according to the rules, and results are transparently collated and transmitted.
Most importantly, INEC officials must resist every attempt by politicians or their agents to compromise them.
The credibility of an election is not determined only by what happens inside polling units. It also depends on what happens before, during and after voting. Any manipulation of results, unlawful alteration of figures, suppression of voters or deliberate disenfranchisement must be firmly rejected.
INEC must also ensure that vote buying does not become a substitute for popular support.
A voter who receives money in exchange for a ballot is not necessarily exercising genuine political freedom. Vote buying turns poverty into a weapon against democracy and allows politicians with greater financial resources to purchase political power.
The security agencies have an equally important responsibility. Their duty today is not to protect political parties or individual politicians. Their duty is to protect Nigerian citizens and the electoral process.
Security personnel must be professional, impartial and guided by the law. They must protect voters, electoral officials, journalists, observers and election materials.
At the same time, anyone caught attacking voters, carrying weapons around polling centres, disrupting voting, buying votes or threatening political opponents must face the law.
There must be no sacred cows.
The deaths already recorded in the build-up to this election must not become the beginning of an even bloodier election day. The people of Osun State have already paid too high a price for political competition.
The political class must therefore understand one fundamental truth: no governorship position is worth the life of a single Nigerian.
For the voters, today must be an opportunity to demonstrate that democracy belongs to the people.
They should vote according to their conscience and reject intimidation. They should resist attempts to provoke violence. They should report irregularities and insist that their votes count.
And political parties must accept that winning an election means winning the confidence of voters—not eliminating opponents.
The ultimate test of today’s election is therefore not simply who wins. The real test is whether the winner can honestly say that the people of Osun chose him or her freely.
If the incumbent wins, the victory must be because voters chose him. If the opposition wins, the victory must be because voters chose the opposition. If any other candidate wins, the same principle must apply.
That is democracy.
Nigeria cannot continue to conduct elections in which citizens are killed, intimidated or financially induced before the ballot is counted and then expect the resulting government to command unquestionable legitimacy.
Osun State is therefore a test—not only for the candidates and parties, but for President Tinubu, INEC, the security agencies and the Nigerian democratic system itself.
The world is watching. The people of Osun are watching.
And history will record whether Nigeria allowed political desperation to overwhelm democracy—or whether the country stood firmly on the side of the people.
Today, let the ballot—not the bullet—decide. Let the voter—not the political godfather—choose. Let competence—not intimidation—prevail. Let the result reflect the genuine will of the people of Osun State.
That is the minimum Nigerians should demand from today’s election.
And that is the responsibility that President Tinubu, INEC and every security agency must fulfil without fear or favour.
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