The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has expressed concern over rising political tension ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun State Governorship Election, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free, fair and credible electoral process.
The monarch made the appeal on Tuesday while receiving the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, and his delegation at the Ooni’s Palace in Ile-Ife during the Commission’s readiness assessment visit to Osun State.
Speaking on behalf of traditional rulers from across the state, the Ooni disclosed that the worsening political atmosphere had dominated hours of discussions among monarchs before the INEC Chairman’s arrival, describing the situation as disturbing and calling for urgent efforts to restore confidence in the electoral process.
He charged Prof. Amupitan to remain a fair and impartial umpire, stressing that Nigerians expected INEC to justify the confidence reposed in it by conducting a transparent election.
According to the monarch, the Federal Government has provided the Commission with the support required to operate independently, making it imperative for INEC to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
The Ooni also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to embrace peace, avoid violence and place the interest of Osun State above political ambitions.
Earlier, Prof. Amupitan said his visit to the Ooni’s Palace was the first engagement of his five-day readiness tour in Osun ahead of the governorship election, describing Ile-Ife as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation and a symbol of peace and unity.
The INEC Chairman described the Osun governorship election as a crucial test ahead of the 2027 General Election and appealed to traditional rulers to use their influence to discourage violence, vote-buying, misinformation and other electoral offences.
He assured that the Commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to safeguard the credibility of the poll, stressing that only properly accredited voters would be allowed to cast valid votes.
The visit is part of activities leading to the Osun governorship election, with the INEC Chairman expected to meet stakeholders and witness the signing of a peace accord by political parties and candidates before election day.
