The people of Osun will today elect a governor under a very tight security to steer the affairs of the state for the next four years. Weekend Trust reports that not less than 15,000 policemen, 10,000 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and an undisclosed number of military and state security agents were deployed to the state ahead of the election. Some sources said over 40,000 security personnel are currently in the state for the poll. Our correspondents report a high number of military personnel stationed at strategic parts of the state capital and other local government areas since the beginning of the week. There have been reported cases of threats, violent attacks and killings linked to the election in the past few days. Despite incidents of political violence and killings however, the people of the state have expressed readiness to come out and vote for candidates of their choice. Our correspondents who went round the state also report that the people did not entertain fears about coming out to vote, saying the threats and violence had not affected their resolve to cast their ballots. Sermons at various Jumuat mosques across the state yesterday focused on the election and the need for all the stakeholders to shun violence and ensure free, fair credible election. A prominent civil society leader in the state, Comrade Waheed Saka, said the atmosphere was peaceful, and expressed optimism that the electorate would come out in large numbers. Saka charged security operatives to be on high alert and take necessary steps to ensure safety and boost the confidence of the electorate to come out to vote. He said: “There would be a considerable turnout of voters considering the consciousness of the people of Osun. Security outfits should be on high alert during this election. “The political parties have campaigned and mobilised adequately and I am confident that people are going to troop out to vote for candidates of their choice.” A retired permanent secretary in the state, Alhaji Kayode Afolabi, also expressed hope that the electorate would be ready to vote for their choice candidates once the atmosphere is conducive at the polling centres. Fifteen political parties are contesting in the election, but most of the activities have revolved round the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and Accord Party. The Accord Party is fielding the incumbent, Governor Ademola Adeleke, while the APC candidate is Bola Munirudeen Oyebamiji. Our correspondent reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed the sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to the 30 local government areas for onward movement to polling centres across the state. Security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Security (DSS), the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps have deployed their personnel across the state to ensure the safety of lives and property. Credible election observers, including The Kukah Centre, Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) are in the state to monitor the election. The European Union Election Observation team and the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association and other reputable bodies have also arrived in the state to observe the election. As at yesterday, the APC and Accord kept raising allegations and counter allegations over violence, shooting and killing. A member of APC Governorship Election Campaign Council media committee, Mr Kehinde Ayantunji, accused Accord Party leaders of harbouring political thugs at the Government House in Osogbo and shielding them from police arrest. Ayantunji said: “We are calling the attention of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the DG of the DSS and all other security agencies that are involved, that this election is under serious threat with the behaviour of the Osun State Government. “As I am talking to you now, we have intelligence that a large number of political thugs have been mobilised into the Government House. In the last two hours, they have been moving in and out. And our intelligence has confirmed that most of these people are not from this state.” Similarly, the Commissioner for Information in the state, Oluoomo Kolapo Alimi, accused APC members of possessing firearms, lamenting that some of them who were arrested by the police were hurriedly released. The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, also alleged that there were attempts to attack him, saying some men were arrested with guns and he personally handed them over to the director of the DSS and demanded that they must be prosecuted. He alleged that the suspects were released within a short period and they returned to his constituency without remorse. “I, therefore, call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army and other relevant authorities to immediately inve
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