Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies deployed for the governorship election to protect the integrity of the electoral process as the collation of results begins.
Adeleke made the appeal on Saturday evening in a statement posted on X, expressing concern over alleged attempts by some politicians to disrupt or hijack collation centres across the state.
The governor said the security agencies must ensure that votes cast by residents were protected and that the final result reflected the choice of the electorate.
He specifically appealed to President Tinubu to use his position to issue a clear warning to the heads of the security agencies involved in the election.
“It is imperative that you use your good office to issue a clear warning to the heads of security agencies deployed to protect the good people of Osun State and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process,” Adeleke said.
The governor said reports of alleged attempts to disrupt collation centres were “deeply concerning and unacceptable”, especially considering the large number of security personnel deployed across the state for the election.
He urged the President to reaffirm his commitment to ensuring that the votes of Osun residents would count and that the final outcome would represent their genuine choice.
“I therefore implore you to reiterate the commitment made to the people of Osun State that their votes will count and that the outcome of this election will reflect their genuine choice,” he said.
Adeleke’s appeal came as election officials moved into the next stage of the process following voting at polling units across the state.
The governor called on the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to strictly follow their responsibilities and ensure that the collation process was not compromised.
He also asked the security agencies to provide the Independent National Electoral Commission with the support needed to complete the exercise.
“The Nigeria Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, NSCDC and other security agencies must strictly adhere to this directive, while INEC must be given every necessary support to conclude the process and deliver a credible and transparent outcome,” Adeleke said.
The governor said the people of Osun State had spoken through the ballot and their decision must be respected.
“The people of Osun State have spoken with one voice, and their voices must be heard. Their votes must be protected, and their mandate must be respected,” he said.
Adeleke also commended residents for turning out in large numbers to participate in the election despite concerns that had surrounded the exercise.
He urged security agencies to remain alert as results were moved from polling units to ward and local government collation centres.
“Against all odds, the people of Osun State have turned out in large numbers and are speaking with one voice. The safety and protection of our people is paramount,” the governor said.
“I commend the security agencies deployed for this election and urge them to remain vigilant as we move into the collation of results; from polling units to wards to local government areas.”
The collation stage is a critical part of the electoral process because results from individual polling units are brought together at ward and local government levels before the final result is declared by the electoral commission.
Adeleke therefore urged INEC officials to maintain high standards of transparency and integrity throughout the exercise.
“I also call on INEC to uphold the highest standards of integrity throughout this process,” he said.
The governor expressed confidence in the institutions involved in the election, saying the Federal Government had provided adequate security for the exercise.
“The federal government has provided adequate security, and I am confident in the professionalism of all institutions involved,” he said.
His comments came against the backdrop of the intense political contest surrounding the Osun governorship election, which had attracted attention across the country.
The election was seen as a major political contest between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state and the All Progressives Congress, with both sides campaigning strongly for the support of voters.
The exercise also drew significant security attention, with authorities deploying personnel across the state to maintain law and order, protect voters and electoral officials, and prevent violence.
The movement from voting to result collation is often regarded as a sensitive stage of elections, particularly where the contest is close and political parties are watching the process closely.
Adeleke, who voted earlier in the day, had expressed confidence in his chances of retaining his position as governor.
After casting his ballot, he urged voters to remain peaceful and protect their votes until the final result was announced.
His latest appeal focused on the need to prevent any interference with the collation process and ensure that the result announced by INEC was based on votes recorded at polling units.
The governor also appealed directly to residents of the state to avoid violence and remain law-abiding while waiting for the outcome.
“To every Osun citizen: I urge you to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and committed to this democratic moment,” he said.
He stressed that the protection of residents remained a priority and urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves responsibly during the remaining stages of the election.
The governor’s statement also placed responsibility on INEC and the security agencies to ensure that the process was completed without interference.
Under Nigeria’s electoral system, results are first recorded at polling units before being transferred through the various levels of collation. Parties and their agents are expected to participate in the process and raise objections where necessary through the channels provided by law.
The final declaration is expected to determine who will govern Osun State for the next term.
Adeleke’s call therefore centred on the need for all institutions involved to allow the electoral process to run its course and ensure that the will of the electorate is not undermined.
He urged the security agencies to remain professional and neutral, while calling on INEC to maintain transparency until the final result is declared.
The governor also appealed to President Tinubu to ensure that the security agencies under the Federal Government remained focused on protecting voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the results.
As collation continues, attention is now shifting from voting activities at polling units to the handling and announcement of results.
Adeleke said the people of Osun had exercised their democratic right and that their decision must be respected.
He called on all political actors and their supporters to remain peaceful and allow the electoral authorities to complete the process.
The governor maintained that the credibility of the election would depend not only on the conduct of voting but also on the transparency and security of the collation and final declaration stages.