As Osun prepares to vote, concerns about the neutrality of the police, INEC, and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) must not be ignored.
The NURTW plays an important role in transporting election materials and personnel. However, its internal leadership crisis and the political tensions in Osun have raised concerns about the safety and neutrality of the electoral logistics process. The movement of materials must be transparent and free from political interference.
The police also have a critical responsibility to protect voters and ensure that no political party uses intimidation, violence, or security forces to influence the election. Their conduct must be impartial. Any perception of selective enforcement could undermine confidence in the process.
INEC, as the electoral umpire, must ensure that election materials are delivered on time, BVAS functions properly, and complaints are handled transparently. Every institution involved must remember that its duty is to the Nigerian people, not to any political party.
Vote manipulation does not always happen at the collation centre. It can begin with intimidation, restricted access, delayed materials, or other attempts to discourage voters from exercising their rights.
Comrade James Onifade therefore calls on the people of Osun State to remain vigilant and resist every form of political interference, intimidation, and vote manipulation. The electorate must defend their votes and ensure that their mandate is not taken away.
He also calls on international observers and relevant democratic institutions to pay close attention to the Osun election and to monitor the process closely, given the heightened political tension in the state. The people of Osun deserve a peaceful, transparent, and credible election in which their votes — not intimidation or political influence — determine who occupies the Government House.
Signed:
Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and Judicial Reform
