The Osun governorship election took a tense turn on Saturday after the Adeleke Campaign Council raised the alarm over an alleged heavy deployment of armed security personnel to the residence of the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun.
The campaign council, through its spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, claimed that more than 10 black Hilux vehicles carrying armed security personnel arrived at the Speaker’s residence and surrounded the premises.
According to the council, the residence was effectively sealed off, with people inside allegedly stopped from leaving.
But there is a catch: the campaign council said it could not independently confirm why the security personnel were there or whether they were operating in an official security capacity.
“We have received reports that the residence of the Speaker … has been surrounded by armed security personnel,” the council said.
It also alleged that those inside the residence were prevented from leaving.
The council called on the security authorities to quickly explain the reason for the deployment, especially on an election day when tensions can easily rise.
Olajengbesi said attempts to reach the Commissioner of Police responsible for election security in Osun State and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police overseeing the election were unsuccessful.
He added that the campaign council also tried to contact the Police Situation Room but could not get through, claiming that the publicly provided phone number was switched off.
For the Adeleke camp, the bigger issue is not just the number of security vehicles at the residence but what their presence could mean for the atmosphere surrounding the election.
The council urged security agencies to carry out their duties without creating fear or giving voters the impression that they are being watched or intimidated.
“The people of Osun State deserve an atmosphere free from fear and intimidation,” the council said, stressing that security operations should protect, rather than undermine, confidence in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the campaign council appealed to residents to remain calm and law-abiding while awaiting clarification from the relevant authorities.
It said voters should be allowed to come out freely, cast their ballots and decide the future of the state without intimidation or interference.
