The intrigues over the conduct of Local Government Election in Osun State continue barely seven (7) hours to the commencement of the exercise.

Recall that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) had fixed Saturday, February 22, 2025 for the conduct of the Local Government Election.

However, on Monday, 10th February 2025, the Appeal Court sitting in Akure delivered a judgment that has since generated controversies in the State, leading to the killing of several indigenes of the State, including Hon. Remi Abbass, a former Chairman of Irewole Local Government who attempted to resume office on the strength of the Appeal Court Judgment.

In spite of the palpable tension, the Osun State Government and the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) have, via separate releases, insisted on conducting the February 22 Local Government Election.

Redio Afinju takes a look at happenings in the State a few hours to the election.

OSSIEC Staff nowhere to be found; Distribution of Election Materials stalled…

As of 6pm on Friday, 21st February 2025, staff of the Electoral Commission remained absent from the Commission’s Office. Several checks by our Reporter revealed that the situation had been so for days.

The absence of the Commission’s Staff, coupled with the presence of a significant number of security men at the gate, fuelled fears that the Commission office had since been sealed off by Security Agents.

A picture the ossiec office, deserted and under heavy security presence ahead of lg election

In a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the State Chairman of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Adewale Adebayo, confirmed the absence of Staff of OSSIEC at the Commission’s Office. He said, “we have been trying to submit a formal letter of withdrawal from the Election to the Commission’s Office since Wednesday, 19th February 2025, but we only met security agents at the gate, with no staff of the Commission anywhere to be found.”

The absence of workers at Commission’s Office may also have resulted in the delay in distribution of Election materials and accreditation tags. Recall that the Commission had, in a public statement, warned against unaccredited monitoring and reporting of the elections.

However, until late Friday, few hours to the election, many Media houses have remained unaccredited, despite submitting valid applications for accreditation. The situation is the same for Observer Groups.

As of the time of filing this report, Election materials have also not arrived at any location outside Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

In a phone conversation with Oyebode Babalola, the Chairmanship Candidate of the Labour Party in Osogbo Local Government, he disclosed that up until about 9:30pm Friday night, his party has no knowledge of the whereabouts of election materials. He confirmed that his Party’s agents had also not received Agent tags or any such identification items.

A telephone conversation with Tosin Odeyemi, the State Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) also revealed that Agents of the NNPP had not received any identification tags until about 9pm Friday. Odeyemi also informed our correspondent that Members of his party had attempted to pick the materials from the OSSIEC’s office for days, but met the absence of the Commission’s staff.

Redio Afinju Correspondent made attempts to speak with the Commission’s Information Officer about Media accreditation, but she insisted that he spoke with the Commission’s Chairman, Hashim Abioye, instead. Calls to his line were unsuccessful while messages to his WhatsApp were not replied.

APC, APM boycotts LG Election

In a letter dated 17th February, 2025, the All Progressives Congress in Osun State notified the Commission of its decision to boycott the LG Election, stating its belief that the February 10 Court of Appeal Judgment had reinstated its Chairmen and Councillors.

The Allied People’s Movement, through its State Chairman, Adewale Adebayo, also confirmed that it had withdrawn from the Election. According to Adebayo, the APM withdrew because it initially had no faith in Hashim Abioye as the Chairman of the Commission, given his history with the ruling PDP. He further stated that the February 10 Judgment gave the APM more reasons to pull out of the Saturday polls.

The NNPP State Chairman stated that although material distribution has been very late, the party would still participate in the election. The case is the same for Labour Party in Osogbo Local Government, as the LP candidate in the Local Government, Oyebode Babalola, insisted that he would participate in the Election despite the serious delay in material distribution.

Nigeria Police Force advises immediate suspension of the Election

In a statement released Friday night, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that “The Nigeria Police Force has received credible intelligence indicating a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned Local Government elections proceed in Osun State. These reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering reveal that various groups, including political elements and other interest parties, are mobilizing to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace, and undermine the democratic order. Given this imminent threat to security, the NPF strongly advises the Osun State Government to suspend the planned elections forthwith in the interest of public safety and national stability.”

The statement further stated that “In light of the combination of heightened security threats and the existing legal complexities, the Nigeria Police Force advises the Osun State Government to reconsider and suspend the planned elections immediately. The NPF reiterates its unwavering commitment to maintaining peace, protecting lives and property, and ensuring that Nigeria’s democratic processes are upheld in accordance with the law.”

However, in a statement released late Friday night, the Osun State Government rejected the advice of the Police Force stating that, “The state government under His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke has reviewed the advice and has come to the conclusion that the proposal from the force headquarters was biased, partisan and in contravention of democratic tenets. The pretence of the service to be serving public good while actually promoting illegality of the APC reinforces our rejection of a Greek gift.” The State Government had earlier insisted on holding the election.

As Residents of Osun State await the Saturday Election, it remains unclear how events will unfold in an election that will effectively mould the political future of the State of the Living Spring.

Redio Afinju will bring you updates as events unfold.