President Bola Tinubu has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to guarantee a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State, urging voters to turn out without fear or intimidation.

The President’s appeal came on the eve of Saturday’s election, in which 15 candidates are vying for the Osun governorship, including incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Hon. Najeem Salaam.

Tinubu, in a statement issued Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, urged INEC to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that the election meets the required standards of transparency and fairness.

“As the people of Osun State head to the polling units to elect who will govern them in the next four years, I call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure orderly conduct of the election.

“The election must be transparent, free and fair. I urge INEC to ensure the integrity of the process,” the President said.

He described the Osun governorship election as the last off-cycle governorship poll before the 2027 general elections, urging INEC to use it to demonstrate its preparedness for the next nationwide electoral exercise.

“INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians their full preparedness for the 2027 polls,” he added.

The President also directed the Inspector-General of Police and other security chiefs deployed for the election to provide maximum protection for voters and electoral personnel, warning troublemakers against attempting to disrupt the process.

“I have charged the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security outfits taking part in the election to provide maximum security at polling units. No room should be allowed for troublemakers to disrupt the process,” Tinubu said.

He stressed that electoral officials and voters must be able to perform their civic responsibilities without fear, intimidation or violence.

“Electoral officials and voters must be protected so they can perform their civic duties without fear or intimidation,” he said.

Tinubu consequently called on eligible voters across the state to come out in their numbers and exercise their franchise, assuring them that adequate security measures had been put in place before, during and after the election.

“Voters should feel confident to go out in their numbers to vote for the candidate of their choice as all measures necessary to ensure a peaceful, free and fair election have been put in place,” he said.

The President urged all stakeholders, particularly political parties and their supporters, to respect the democratic process and accept the outcome of the election.

“Our elections must be credible, and the outcome of the Osun Governorship election must reflect the will of the people,” Tinubu declared.