Atiku Warns Against Militarising Osun Election, Says Poll Is Test
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the Tinubu administration against militarising Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, describing the scale of security deployment around the poll as resembling preparations for war rather than a civil democratic exercise.
Speaking at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja on Wednesday, the ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate declared that Osun is a test of Nigeria’s ability to conduct credible elections ahead of the next general election. He argued that elections are civil engagements, not military operations, adding that ballot papers are not bullets, voters are not enemy combatants, and opposition members are not insurgents. LEADERSHIP NewspapersLEADERSHIP Newspapers
Atiku questioned why a similar scale of security capacity was not being deployed against terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits attacking communities across the country, and insisted that no security institution belongs to any political party. According to a report from Vanguard, he stressed that the police, military, and INEC belong to Nigeria and the Nigerian people, not to the All Progressives Congress (APC). LEADERSHIP NewspapersVanguard News
Turning to the electoral body directly, Atiku warned INEC against mysterious glitches, unexplained delays, or manipulation of the process, insisting that election materials must arrive promptly, accredited voters must be allowed to vote freely, and votes must be counted honestly with results transmitted transparently in accordance with the law. He also called on security agencies to focus on protecting voters and safeguarding the process rather than intimidating citizens at polling units. Daily Post Nigeria
Separately, Atiku used the summit to raise fresh questions over the Chicago State University certificate President Bola Tinubu submitted to INEC, alleging discrepancies including differing dates and signatures between versions of the document, and citing Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, which addresses disqualification where a candidate presents a forged certificate. These allegations remain unverified claims raised by the opposition candidate and have not been independently confirmed or addressed in detail by INEC or the Presidency in this context.
Atiku’s remarks echo similar concerns raised by other stakeholders in the lead-up to the poll. The Accord Party, whose candidate, incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, is seeking re-election, had separately warned the Federal Government against militarising the election, describing the contest as one that should not be used to suppress political opponents.
The former vice president also addressed young Nigerians directly during the summit, pledging that at least 30 per cent of legislative candidates under his political programme would be under 40 years old, with a significant proportion below 30, and urging youths to register and actively participate in the political process ahead of 2027.
Saturday’s election will pit Governor Adeleke against APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and the ADC’s Sen. Iyiola Omisore’s successor candidate, Salaam, among other contenders, in what is being widely described as the last off-cycle governorship election before Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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