• Says Oyinlola against his re-election out of jealousy, declares Friday work-free •Osun is a test, don’t turn election into war, Atiku warns INEC, Tinubu • Senate Leader: voters, not federal might, will decide winner, urges peaceful poll •Those inciting violence will end up in prison at The Hague, Olawepo-Hashim forewarns •Accord appeals to EU to intervene in Osun poll over rising tension as ADC warns against planned arrest of Aregbesola Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode, Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade, Kasim Sumaina in Abuja and Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has asked all workers in the state to mobilise their relatives and friends to vote massively on Saturday and defend their votes to ensure continuity of good governance across sectors in the state. In a pre-election message to the workers, Adeleke commended the steadfastness of the labour leadership and workers in support of his administration, lauding the mutually beneficial relationship between his administration and Osun workers. Separately, at the Arise News Town Hall, the governor alleged that one of his predecessors, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was against his re-election because he was jealous of the Adeleke family. He said Oyinlola had a habit of resenting anyone from the Adeleke family. The governor’s comments came as the presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the President Bola Tinubu administration against militarising the Osun State governorship election or deploying state institutions for partisan advantage. Atiku gave the warning at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja. For his part, Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, advised all stakeholders in the Osun State election to prioritise the pursuit of peaceful and credible polls. In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, Bamidele declared that voters, not federal might, would decide the winner of the Osun State governorship election. Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, warned those beating the drums of war over the election to be wary of the consequences of their actions, saying they may end up at the International Criminal Court. Olawepo-Hashim stated this in a statement yesterday. That was as Accord Party appealed for urgent diplomatic intervention by European Union (EU) to de-escalate rising political tension in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s election. The appeal was contained in a letter by Accord Party’s National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, dated August 12, 2026, and addressed to Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Migot. Amid the rising tension, ADC said it had received credible reports about plans to arrest its National Secretary and Osun indigene, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in the days leading to Saturday’s governorship election. ADC warned against the move, in a statement by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi. In other developments, Osun State Police Command questioned the senator for Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, over inciting statements credited to him in a viral video ahead of Saturday’s election. Fadahunsi denied any inciting motive in the video, where he was heard saying, “kill any Accord member,” during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland. He insisted he only meant that APC supporters should “kill Accord Party in Osun with their votes”. But National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for the immediate suspension and arrest of Fadahunsi, in a statement by the commission’s Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu. NHRC said the remarks attributed to Fadahunsi amounted to incitement to murder, electoral violence, and voter intimidation. In the meantime, INEC announced that the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Osun State election, Dr. Francis Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, had been added to the ballot for the election on Saturday. INEC National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, explained, in a statement, that the action was taken in compliance with the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Addressing workers in the state, Adeleke said, “The time for action has come. As formal workers at state establishments, I task you to mobilise informal workers, artisans, and professional bodies. We must remain strong in defence of our constitutional rights to vote and be voted for. “We must defend the gains of the last three and half years plus. Ours is a worker-friendly government, which has delivered
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