RismadarVoice Reporters, August 9, 2026
Tension is rising across Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party claiming that a combined 18 of their members have been killed during the electioneering period.
The claims have intensified concerns about the safety of voters, political party supporters and election officials as security agencies prepare for the poll.
The deployment of 15,000 policemen to the state has also generated mixed reactions, with political parties largely welcoming the additional security presence. At the same time, some civil society groups have described the scale of the deployment as excessive.
Several communities, including Osogbo, Ede, Ile-Ife, Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu and Ikire, have emerged as areas of concern following reports of clashes, shootings, attacks on political supporters and alleged assassination attempts.
Rising incidents of violence:
The latest concerns follow a series of violent incidents reported in different parts of the state since the beginning of the campaign.
In May, an Accord Party member, Kolade Eluyera, was killed in Irewole Local Government Area. The party attributed the incident to suspected supporters of the APC, but the APC rejected the allegation.
Tension escalated on June 3 when the Accord chairman in Osogbo Local Government Area, Asimiyu Ajibola, was shot by gunmen and hospitalised.
Another Accord supporter, Ajayi Rogba, was reportedly killed in Esa-Oke amid heightened political activities. While Accord supporters linked the incident to political violence, APC members in the area denied responsibility and cautioned against politicising the death.
Campaign activities in Ede, Osogbo and other communities have also been disrupted at various times by clashes, shootings and attacks involving political supporters.
The incidents have raised concerns that political disagreements could escalate further as the election approaches.
13 fatalities recorded in 44 incidents:
The political parties, however, gave higher figures when asked about deaths among their members.
An election-monitoring organisation, Kimpact Development Initiative, reported that 44 election-related violent incidents resulting in 13 deaths were recorded in Osun between October 2025 and June 2026.
The APC campaign council claimed that at least 10 of its members had been killed during the campaign period, while the Accord Party put the number of its members killed at eight.
The figures have not been independently reconciled into a single death toll, and the parties have continued to accuse each other of responsibility for attacks.
The competing claims have nevertheless heightened fears of reprisals and further violence before, during and after the election, nevertheless.
APC: 10 members killed:
The APC campaign council said the effectiveness of the security deployment should be measured by the professionalism and capacity of security personnel rather than the number of officers deployed.
Speaking on behalf of the campaign council chairman, Kehinde Ayantunji said at least 10 APC members had been killed in places including Ilesa, Iwo, Osogbo and Ijebu-Ijesa.
He said the loss of lives was unacceptable and stressed that no election should cost anyone their life.
According to him, the party’s priority was a free, fair and credible election supported by adequate security.
Ayantunji said the police must have the necessary personnel, equipment, logistics and strategy to protect voters and ensure that every vote counts across the state’s 3,761 polling units.
He also urged security agencies to prevent the creation of fear that could discourage voters from participating in the election.
Accord seeks more security personnel:
The Accord Party said the deployment of 15,000 policemen might still be inadequate given the security challenges recorded in some parts of the state.
Its media director, Oladele Bamiji, said the party had lost about eight members to violence since the beginning of the campaign.
He listed Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu, Ikire and Osogbo among areas where the party had recorded deaths linked to the period of heightened political activity.
Bamiji described the situation as frightening and urged political actors to reject violence.
He also questioned whether 15,000 policemen would be sufficient to provide effective coverage across the state’s polling units.
According to him, the police deployment should complement the efforts of other security agencies expected to participate in election security.
Osun Masterminds raises concern over militarisation:
The Osun Masterminds, a coalition of civil society organisations, however, criticised the scale of the police deployment, describing it as a form of militarisation.
The group’s spokesperson, Ayo Ologunde, argued that deploying such a large number of policemen could create fear among residents and discourage some voters from participating.
He also expressed concern that diverting large numbers of security personnel to Osun could leave neighbouring states more vulnerable to criminal activities during the election.
Ologunde said elections should be conducted in an atmosphere that encourages citizens to exercise their civic rights rather than one that makes them feel threatened.
He also questioned the amount of public funds that would be spent on allowances and logistics for the large deployment, arguing that some of the resources could instead be directed towards development.
Dialogue 365 backs deployment:
The Convener of Dialogue 365, Saka Waheed, disagreed with the criticism, saying the security presence was necessary given the violence recorded during the campaign.
Waheed said residents had demanded greater protection and should therefore welcome the deployment.
He argued that the number of personnel should not be regarded as excessive if their presence would prevent killings and protect voters.
He said a peaceful election required adequate security to prevent criminal elements from disrupting the electoral process.
Ex-lawmaker supports heavy deployment:
A former chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Information, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, also supported the deployment, suggesting that it could have been based on security intelligence available to the Federal Government.
Oyintiloye said large-scale deployment of security personnel was not unusual during elections, particularly in areas considered vulnerable to violence.
He, however, urged security agencies to remain professional and respond decisively to reports of unlawful killings.
He also called for greater public sensitisation to reassure voters and encourage them to participate without fear.
Flashpoints under watch:
With only six days to the election, attention is now focused on how security agencies will manage areas identified as potential flashpoints.
The conflicting claims by the APC and Accord over the deaths of their supporters have further complicated the security situation and raised concerns about possible retaliatory attacks.
Stakeholders have consequently appealed to political parties and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of escalating tension.
They also urged security agencies to ensure that the deployment of personnel is used primarily to protect voters, election officials and electoral materials, while respecting the rights of citizens throughout the electoral process.
