The Osun Citizens’ Situation Room (OCSR) has called for the establishment of Mobile Election Courts and increased international scrutiny ahead of the 15 August 2026 Osun State Governorship Election, warning that rising political violence could undermine the credibility of the poll.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group expressed concern over what it described as growing political violence, intimidation, hate rhetoric and disinformation in the run-up to the election.
The group condemned reported attacks on officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), describing such incidents as a direct threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“Any assault on electoral officials is an attack on Nigeria’s democracy and must be investigated thoroughly, with those responsible brought before the law,” the statement said.
While acknowledging the recent Peace Accord signed by political parties, OCSR questioned the commitment of some parties after several principal candidates reportedly failed to attend the signing in person.
“Peace must be demonstrated through conduct, not merely declared through signatures,” it stated.
The group also warned that political ambition should never come at the cost of human lives.
“The lives of Osun citizens matter. No political office is worth the blood of a single Nigerian,” the statement added.
OCSR said it would engage foreign diplomatic missions and international human rights organisations to monitor developments before and during the election. It also urged the international community to consider targeted measures against individuals found to have organised, financed, incited or promoted election-related violence.
To strengthen accountability, the group called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to establish Mobile Election Courts across Osun on election day.
According to OCSR, the courts would ensure electoral offences committed during voting are handled promptly in line with Nigerian law.
“Such courts would enable electoral offences committed during polling to be dealt with promptly in accordance with Nigerian law, reinforcing public confidence that electoral crimes have immediate legal consequences rather than becoming forgotten offences after the election,” the statement said.
The group also urged the Minister of Interior and correctional authorities to make adequate custodial arrangements for persons lawfully arrested for electoral offences.
It stressed that offenders involved in violence, ballot disruption, voter intimidation and destruction of election materials should face the full weight of the law, declaring that “The era of impunity must end.”
OCSR welcomed INEC’s decision to extend PVC collection at Registration Area centres until 31 July following high voter turnout and operational challenges.
It noted that INEC had announced that 322,822 PVCs, representing about 62 per cent of available cards, had been collected during the initial distribution exercise, while collection at Local Government Area offices would continue from 1 to 7 August.
The group also cited INEC figures showing that Osun now has about 2.399 million registered voters after the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and urged eligible residents to collect their PVCs and vote peacefully.
The organisation further renewed its call for greater inclusion of Nigerians in the diaspora in national political processes, saying they deserve “a recognised voice—a genuine ‘seat at the table’—reflecting its strategic contribution to national development.”
In its closing appeal, OCSR urged political parties, candidates, supporters, traditional rulers, community leaders and security agencies to put the interests of Osun above politics.
“History will not remember who shouted the loudest during campaigns. History will remember who protected democracy,” the statement said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
