By: Odeh Favour Adiya
As the Osun State governorship election
approaches, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on political actors, electoral bodies, and security agencies to ensure the election is conducted peacefully and transparently.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Thursday, Obi stressed that the responsibility of maintaining peace and upholding democratic integrity lies on all institutions, international observers, and stakeholders involved in the election.
Addressing local actors directly, he pleaded with residents to avoid turning against one another in the heat of the contest, warning against the destruction of the state for political gain.
“To those within Osun State, I appeal for peace. Do not allow politicians to turn your neighbours, friends, and communities against each other. Do not destroy your state in the name of winning an election. Nigeria is bigger than any candidate, and Osun is greater than any political party,” Obi stated.
He urged stakeholders, electoral umpires, and security personnel to uphold absolute neutrality and focus on protecting the rights of the electorate.
“To our security agencies, your loyalty must be to Nigeria and the Constitution, not to any political party or individual. Your duty is to protect every voter equally,” he urged.
Obi also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to safeguard the credibility of the entire process from accreditation down to the final declaration of results.
“To INEC, the credibility of this election must be safeguarded from the preparatory stages to accreditation, voting, collation, and declaration. Every irregularity must be addressed seriously, and every legitimate vote must count,” he stressed.
Rounding off his statement, Obi reminded all actors that the true essence of democracy is ensuring the electorate can vote without fear or violence.
“Democracy is not merely about who wins. Democracy is about whether the people are truly allowed to choose. Let Osun demonstrate to Nigeria, and indeed the world, that political competition can be intense without degenerating into violence; that disagreement can exist without hatred; and that power can change hands through ballots rather than blood,” Obi said.
