* Reps seek probe of Fadahunsi, police over election killings
* Oyebamiji accepts Adeleke’s victory
* Victory not defeat of Tinubu, says Wike
By Teddy Nwanunobi And Ahmed Akanbi
Following the just concluded 2026 Osun State governorship election, former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has condemned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for mobilising some of its governors and chieftains to converge on Osun on election day as a threat to democracy, describing APC and its leaders as bullies.
This was even as the House of Representatives has called for a comprehensive investigation into the violence and deaths allegedly linked to the 2026 Osun State governorship election, including a viral video involving Senator Francis Fadahunsi.
Jonathan, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, and Osun State residents for the peaceful conduct during the poll on Saturday.
“While we commend the electoral process itself, there are developments surrounding the election and, more importantly, an emerging trend in political conduct during off-cycle elections that raises concerns,” stated the former president.
Jonathan censured the national ruling party for attempting to bully and intimidate Osun voters on Saturday, warning them against becoming a menace to society.
“The growing practice whereby serving governors, senior political office holders, party leaders and other influential government functionaries, accompanied by large numbers of aides and heavy security details from outside a state, converge on states where elections are being conducted raises an issue that demands national attention.
“The conduct witnessed around the recent elections in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States was, in my view, unusual. It is not a practice that should become normal in a democratic society,” said Jonathan in a statement on Tuesday.
He admitted that during his administration some Peoples Democratic Party governors attempted to intimidate the electorate.
“I recall that, as President, similar situations arose during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections. On those occasions, senior political leaders mobilised and descended upon the states. Upon being briefed, I ordered party leaders and senior government officials to leave the states immediately,” Jonathan explained.
He pointed out that “this trend is unwholesome” and if left unchecked, “it could threaten our fragile democracy and have serious long-term implications for democratic stability”.
While political parties are entitled to campaign, mobilise their supporters and deploy their legitimate party structure, Jonathan insisted “there is a point at which political mobilisation, particularly when it involves the overwhelming presence of serving governors, senior public officials and powerful political actors from across the country on election day, can create an atmosphere of apprehension, intimidation, bullying and undue pressure”.
“We must ask ourselves whether the increasing deployment of political power and large-scale mobilisation by senior office holders on election day in states holding elections is consistent with the spirit of free, fair and peaceful democratic competition. This hardly happens in other democratic countries. We must not allow political competition to become a contest in which victory is perceived as something that must be achieved at all costs.
“There is also the question of precedent. If the current trend becomes established, what happens when governors from opposing political parties begin to descend on every state holding a competitive election? What happens when each party seeks to match political power with political power, governmental influence with governmental influence, and mobilisation with counter-mobilisation?
“Such a development would not strengthen our democracy. It would deepen political tensions and could make elections increasingly resemble battles for political survival rather than peaceful contests for the mandate of the people,” Jonathan reasoned.
The former president urged political leaders and parties not to treat the matter as a partisan dispute over the Osun election, describing it as a broader national issue “concerning the future of our electoral democracy”.
Jonathan called for “greater responsibility” from political leaders, pointing out that the power and influence attached to public office should be used to strengthen democratic institutions, not to create apprehension among political opponents or citizens.
“For this reason, I call on the National Peace Committee to convene, as soon as practicable, a stakeholders’ engagement. The purpose of such a meeting should be to provide a neutral and constructive platform for political leaders and other stakeholders to reflect on emerging practices around elections and agree on standards that will protect our democracy and preserve peace.
“The engagement should bring together key stakeholders, including the leadership of registered political parties; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); relevant security agencies; the leadership of the National Assembly; the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; civil society organisations; and the media, to interrogate this troubling trend.
“I believe that the National Peace Committee is particularly well placed to lead this conversation because of the confidence and moral authority it has built over the years in bringing political leaders together at moments of national tension. An early national conversation can help us establish appropriate boundaries and expectations for political conduct before practices that are unusual today become accepted as normal tomorrow,” the former president advised.
In a related development, a bipartisan group of members of the House of Representatives has called for the probe of Fadahunsi and Police over Osun election killings.
The lawmakers, under the aegis of Save Democracy Group (SDG), made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the group’s leader, Awaji-Inombek Abiante (NDC Rivers); Abubakar Kusada (APC Katsina); and Mansur Jega (ADC Kebbi), saying every death arising from political violence must be thoroughly investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.
They commended Osun voters for turning out to exercise their civic rights despite tension and violence that preceded the election, however, expressed concern over reports of politically motivated attacks before and during the poll.
According to the lawmakers, the Nigeria Police Force had said in July that it was investigating 30 suspected politically motivated killings linked to the election build-up. Civil society reports, they added, cited 56 politically related violent incidents and 14 fatalities.
They recalled that on August 13, two days before the election, a resident of Esa-Oke was reportedly killed while another person was injured in a shooting.
The lawmakers questioned the effectiveness of the extensive security deployment to Osun, arguing that the presence of large numbers of security personnel should translate into effective protection of lives and property.
They called on the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and other competent authorities to conduct comprehensive investigations into the reported incidents.
The group singled out the alleged comments attributed to Senator Fadahunsi in a viral video, which was interpreted as encouraging violence against supporters of the Accord Party in Ilesa, insisting that political leaders must be held accountable for statements capable of aggravating an already volatile political environment.
Although Fadahunsi has reportedly denied inciting violence, the lawmakers said his denial should not prevent an independent examination of the video, its context and the circumstances surrounding the remarks.
They urged the Inspector-General of Police, DSS and NHRC to determine whether the alleged statement violated any law, adding that prosecution should follow if criminal wrongdoing is established.
The lawmakers further called for scrutiny of the scale of security deployment for the Osun election, asking the Federal Government to explain the criteria used in determining the number and composition of personnel deployed, noting that states facing terrorism, banditry and kidnapping often complain of inadequate security resources.
They cited recent attacks in Kebbi and Sokoto States as examples of the wider security challenges confronting the country, and argued that security resources should be deployed according to assessed risks rather than political considerations. The group therefore demanded the publication of the security assessment and deployment framework used for the Osun election.
The lawmakers said the Osun election should serve as a major test ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a comprehensive post-election review of logistical, technological, administrative and procedural shortcomings.
They also renewed their call for the immediate reconvening of the National Assembly to address the worsening security situation, killings of civilians and security personnel, the proposed State Police amendment, and implementation of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets.
The group said political violence and insecurity must not become accepted features of Nigeria’s democratic process, maintaining that “authorities must prosecute perpetrators where criminal responsibility is established and strengthen the country’s national security strategy.
Meanwhile, four days after the governorship election in Osun, the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, on Tuesday, broke his silence, and accepted the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the exercise by INEC.
In a statement, Oyebamiji stated: “Although, we had hoped for a different outcome in the election, in the meantime, we respect the position of the electoral umpire.”
He, however, backed the position of his party to review the results of the poll and the consultation of its legal team on the way forward after Adeleke’s victory.
Oyebamiji expressed concern over alleged attacks on his supporters and members of the APC after the election.
“I totally support the decision of our party in its ongoing review of the outcome of the election. Campaign has come to an end and the election is over, but the values and causes we championed are alive.
”We would continue to work for effective, inclusive and rapid development of our dear Osun. I urge all of you who stood by our party and campaign to keep working for our community, to stay engaged, to continue to organise and to remain vigilant for the collective good of our state.
“As events unfold, I urge all of you to remain calm and peaceful as you go about your daily activities in the post-election period,” Oyebamiji stated.
At the same time, he alerted the state government and security agents to what he described as a growing trend of hostility and violence against APC members and supporters.
“The violent attacks on our members witnessed in the build-up to the election has taken another dimension in the last 24 hours. Consequently, I urge the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to intervene and arrest this ugly trend without delay.
“I commend you all for your steadfastness, commitment, sacrifice, and tireless efforts throughout the just-concluded governorship election. Your unwavering support for my candidacy and your belief in the prosperity agenda we presented to the people of Osun are experiences I will forever cherish,” the statement concluded.
Reacting to the outcome of Saturday’s 2026 Osun State governorship election, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday dismissed claims that the outcome of the Osun State governorship election represented a defeat for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government, saying the poll was allowed to run freely and fairly.
Wike, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja shortly after inspecting areas affected by flooding in the Federal Capital Territory, also declared that the opposition had been “crippled” ahead of the 2027 general elections, predicting that Tinubu would secure re-election with considerably less difficulty than he encountered in 2023.
The minister was reacting to suggestions that the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Accord in the August 15 Osun governorship election, coupled with the involvement of opposition politicians including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, indicated that the opposition was gaining momentum ahead of 2027.
Wike, however, rejected the interpretation, insisting that the Osun election could not be regarded as a contest between Adeleke and the Federal Government.
“I do not know the effort made by the Federal Government, but I do know that parties in an election will make an effort to win elections. There’s nothing wrong with that,” he said.
The minister argued that had Tinubu been determined to deploy federal might to secure victory for his party, he would have been involved in the process.
“I’m part of the Federal Government. I’m sure that if the President wanted to win Osun at all costs, I would be involved, and I would have been there, and the governor would have known that it would have been different,” Wike said.
He maintained that elections were processes rather than one-day events, adding that political parties were expected to build structures and mobilise support long before voting day.
Wike also dismissed claims that the Osun outcome demonstrated the growing strength of the opposition coalition, questioning why politicians who had contested the election separately would subsequently claim credit for Adeleke’s victory.
“If you knew you were trying to support Adeleke, why did you field a candidate? Their candidate has lost. He’s now saying, ‘Oh, we thank God the Accord Party won.’ Are you a member of the Accord Party?” he asked.
According to him, genuine coalition-building should have taken place before the election, with opposition parties agreeing to withdraw their candidates and support a common platform.
“You would have gone to say, ‘Look, everybody in this party, step down. We want Accord to win this election.’ Then you would have made sense. Then after the election, you say, ‘Oh, we won.’ Look, they won,” he said.
Wike further cited Adeleke’s reported commendation of the President for allowing a free and fair election, arguing that the governor’s victory could not reasonably be described as a defeat for Tinubu.
He said the President’s alleged intervention to prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from taking certain actions against the governor during the election period was evidence that the administration did not deploy federal institutions to influence the poll.
“If it was federal might, he will keep quiet,” Wike said, adding that Tinubu’s decision to allow the electoral process to proceed demonstrated his commitment to fairness.
He recalled his own experience of confronting what he described as federal might during the 2019 Rivers State governorship election, saying the situation then was substantially different from what transpired in Osun.
Wike also dismissed the suggestion that opposition politicians who visited Osun after the election had secured a major political breakthrough, insisting that Adeleke had not been among the governors who were consistently hostile to the Federal Government.
Turning to 2027, the minister described the opposition as too weak and divided to pose a serious challenge to Tinubu.
“This election, 2027, is where the opposition have been crippled, crippled, you know what it means crippling people? Depleted, they finished them. They have nothing to do,” he said.
According to him, a credible opposition capable of defeating an incumbent government must have a stable political structure and spend years building its base, rather than continually moving from one political platform to another.
“You see, for you to be in opposition to remove a government, it must be what you call a strong, vibrant opposition that has stayed for over four years planning, not opposition that is looking for a party to go to,” he said.
Wike specifically challenged the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to point to any election in which the party had demonstrated sufficient electoral strength to suggest that it could defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national level.
He questioned how a party could expect to win a presidential election when its performance in state-level contests remained limited.
The minister also distinguished between governorship and presidential elections, arguing that local political factors could determine the outcome of a governorship contest, while national elections required a broader political structure.
“Governorship election is different from presidential election. You must know that. Governorship elections are local factors, local variables. National election is a different ball game,” he said.
Wike further argued that the political circumstances surrounding the 2027 election were different from those of 2023, when he said Tinubu faced a much more difficult contest.
“2023 was a stressful election for him. This election, 2027, is where the opposition have been crippled,” he said.
He also referred to the role played by the G-5 governors during the 2023 presidential election, arguing that the absence of a similar bloc of influential governors working against the incumbent would make the 2027 contest more favourable to Tinubu.
Wike concluded that, barring unforeseen developments, the President would have little difficulty securing a second term.
“But if it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no, forget it. It’s over. No sentiment,” he declared.
The minister said voters should judge political leaders by their capacity to identify and address problems confronting the country, rather than by political sentiments or opposition rhetoric.
He maintained that the administration’s efforts to tackle inherited challenges should form part of the basis for evaluating Tinubu’s performance ahead of the 2027 election.