The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on political actors, electoral officials, security agencies and other stakeholders to uphold the rule of law and ensure that Saturday’s Osun State governorship election is free, fair, credible and peaceful.
The NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, made the call during a series of high-level stakeholder engagements in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship poll.
Osigwe led a high-powered delegation of the association to meetings with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, as well as senior police officers responsible for election security across the state.
During the meeting with Babalola, the NBA president congratulated her on her appointment as the first female REC in Osun State, urging her to remain a worthy ambassador of the legal profession by discharging her constitutional responsibilities with integrity, impartiality and courage.
He charged the electoral commission to ensure that no political interest, pressure or influence interferes with the credibility of the electoral process, stressing that the legitimacy of the next administration in the state must be founded on the freely expressed will of the electorate.
In response, Babalola assured the NBA delegation that INEC was fully prepared for Saturday’s election and had conducted extensive training for election personnel to minimise human errors and strengthen the integrity of the process.
The REC also disclosed that INEC had intensified voter education campaigns and engagements with student bodies and other stakeholders to encourage peaceful participation and educate voters on the electoral process.
Addressing concerns over recent disturbances recorded in some parts of the state, Babalola said the incidents were largely connected to cult-related clashes rather than politically motivated violence.
She nevertheless assured voters that the commission was committed to conducting an election in which every legitimate vote would be recognised.
“Every single vote will count,” she assured.
The NBA delegation subsequently met with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Ishaku, and other senior police officers overseeing security arrangements for the election.
Ishaku assured the delegation that the Nigeria Police Force had put comprehensive security measures in place to guarantee a peaceful and credible election.
According to him, a massive deployment of police personnel had already commenced across the state, with additional officers expected to arrive before election day to ensure adequate security coverage and prevent attempts to disrupt the voting process.
The NBA president later addressed journalists at the NBA Osogbo Bar Centre, where he delivered one of his strongest warnings yet to political actors and public officials ahead of the poll.
Osigwe called on electoral officials, security agencies, political actors and public office holders to remain strictly neutral and resist the temptation to deploy their offices, powers or influence in favour of any candidate or political party.
He maintained that the only acceptable outcome of Saturday’s election is one that genuinely reflects the will of Osun voters.
The NBA president also urged politicians to place the collective interest of Osun State above partisan calculations, warning that the pursuit of political power must never become a justification for violence, intimidation or the destruction of lives and property.
“Osun must not be allowed to go up in flames and no life should be lost in the pursuit of political power,” Osigwe declared.
He urged all political actors and their supporters to reject violence, intimidation, vote manipulation and other forms of electoral malpractice, insisting that peace, justice and respect for the rule of law must guide the conduct of the election.
Osigwe further charged lawyers who would serve as election observers to remain vigilant and steadfast in defending democratic values throughout the electoral process.
He urged the observers to discharge their duties with courage, professionalism and impartiality, stressing that they must document and report electoral developments truthfully while also taking necessary precautions to protect their personal safety.
The NBA’s intervention comes against the backdrop of heightened political tension in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s election, with political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders expressing concerns over threats, intimidation and the possibility of electoral violence.
With the election now only days away, the association reiterated its commitment to protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process and called on every stakeholder to ensure that the contest does not degenerate into violence.
The NBA expressed optimism that the Osun governorship election would be peaceful, credible, transparent and ultimately reflective of the genuine choice of the people of the state.