Against the backdrop of this week Saturday governorship election in Osun, the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), National Union of Pensioners (NUP), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), on Monday defended Governor Ademola Adeleke over alleged vote buying.

It is recalled that the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had last week accused Adeleke’s administration of crediting bank accounts of workers, pensioners and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Osun with N10,000 each.

The party called on the anti graft agencies to investigate the governor, who is contesting on the platform of Accord for allegation of vote buying, which they said contravened Electoral Act 2026 (As Amended).

However, during a mini congress held at the frontage of the state government secretariat, Abere, the workers, who displayed various placards with inscriptions against electoral vices, called for a peaceful and election.

Speaking with journalists on the sideline of the congress, the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, tasked the Police to eschew bias and exhibit professionalism during the poll, just as he described the allegation against Adeleke over vote buying as baseless.

He also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the Police and other security agencies to stop indiscriminate arrest and intimidation of the people in order to create enabling atmosphere for the election.

According to him, “We are here to inform the general public about happenings in Osun and how we feel about it. We hear somewhere in the news that thugs are going up and down shooting and the Police who are expected to do their jobs in protecting the properties of the people of Osun State are not doing anything.

“By the special grace of God on Saturday, 15th of this month, workers, pensioners and people of Osun State would perform their constitutional civic rights by voting for candidates. We are to send a signal and warning to any party that tries to intimidate or harass workers, pensioners and good people of Osun State, “Arapasopo stated.

Defending Adeleke over payment of N10,000 palliative each to workers, pensioners and NYSC members, he recalled that process for the cash transfer was initiated by the organised labour before April 8, following the request by workers for allowance to cushion the effects of economic hardship prevalent in the country.

“On the EFCC banning the government account, there is need for us to inform the public of what really transpired. Before that on the 8th of April the organised labour wrote a letter to His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke. We requested and demanded for palliatives for the workers and pensioners in the state.

“We requested for N20,000 for each worker and we later had a meeting and that was earlier July. We agreed based on the financial constraints in the state, the governor promised to pay N10,000 each for workers and pensioners. It was accepted by labour. In that meeting I could recall that we requested that June and July be paid.

“We saw on the social media that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is saying the governor is trying to buy over. They tagged it vote buying of which they didn’t know that labour leaders were the ones that requested for palliatives for workers to cushion the effects of economic troubles in the country, of which Osun State is not exceptional.

“We are appealing to the president who is the leader of the country, who is also the father of Osun State to please call Osun APC to order. This election should not be war. We as workers and pensioners of Osun State have every right to vote for whosoever that pleases us, “Arapasopo averred.

In his remark, chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Comrade Olamilekan Adeniran, implored civil servants, pensioners, and residents to utilise their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in electing candidate of their choice on Saturday without succumbing to fear and intimidation.

“We don’t want imposition in Osun, getting to the position of power is not do or die affair, we know what we want, what is suitable for our people here, we appeal to Mr President to help us talk to this people, coming to power doesn’t mean we should kill ourselves, it doesn’t mean we should freeze the account of the state, it doesn’t mean we should all the leaders all the cabinets of the state, “Adeniran posited.