Osun Election: Adeleke’s Victory Sparks Call for Nationwide Vote Vigilance in 2027

The outcome of last Saturday’s Osun State governorship election has triggered a fresh debate over the role of voters in protecting the electoral process, with lawyers, activists and political stakeholders urging Nigerians to draw lessons from the determination displayed by Osun voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following an election in which voters attracted national attention for their determination to monitor the movement of election materials and the collation of results.

One of the most widely circulated videos from the election showed residents of Ward Okerewe 3 in Ife East Local Government Area following a minibus conveying election results to the collation centre on motorcycles.

The residents reportedly became concerned after observing that the driver was making phone calls while transporting the results.

“Drop that phone, you are carrying our votes and you are receiving calls. We are following you and monitoring you, end that call now,” they were heard shouting.

The driver subsequently stopped making the call.

In another video, a large crowd of Osun residents was seen at the INEC collation centre in Osogbo at about 2:00am on Sunday, monitoring the collation process.

The scenes have been interpreted by several commentators as evidence of a growing willingness among voters to remain engaged beyond the polling unit.

Stakeholders who spoke on the development described the Osun experience as a lesson in civic participation and a warning against electoral apathy.

They urged Nigerians to vote, monitor the counting and collation process, document irregularities and remain engaged until results are formally declared.

At the same time, several of them cautioned that protecting votes must be done peacefully and within the law, while institutions such as INEC and security agencies must shoulder their constitutional responsibilities.

‘Democracy requires active citizens’ — Prof Okaba

Professor Benjamin Okaba, university don and immediate past President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), said the vigilance reportedly displayed by Osun voters was a reminder that democracy depended on both institutions and citizens.

“The reported vigilance of voters in Osun State is a welcome development and a powerful reminder that democracy is not sustained by institutions alone; it also depends on the active participation of citizens,” he said.

Okaba said citizens should understand the voting, counting and collation processes, while party agents should be adequately trained and equipped to document results.

He also called for community-based monitoring mechanisms involving peaceful observation, rapid reporting of irregularities and proper documentation.

“The 2027 election, therefore, presents an opportunity for Nigerians to move beyond political apathy and embrace responsible civic participation,” he said.

‘Voting is not enough’ — Aborisade

Human rights activist and legal practitioner Femi Aborisade said Osun voters had demonstrated that citizens should remain interested in their votes until the collation and declaration stages were completed.

“The people of Osun have demonstrated that citizens must not surrender their votes immediately after casting them. The vote belongs to the voter until the entire process of collation and declaration has been completed,” he said.

Aborisade urged voters in 2027 to remain at polling units where safe, observe the counting, ensure results are correctly recorded and follow the figures through the stages of collation.

He, however, stressed that such vigilance must not involve attacks or confrontation.

“Protecting your vote does not mean attacking electoral officials, security personnel or other citizens. It means being vigilant, documenting irregularities and using lawful channels to challenge any attempt to manipulate the people’s mandate,” he said.

High turnout can reduce room for manipulation — Ufioma

Mr Ufioma State, Coordinator of Delta Democrats Forum, said voter turnout was another major lesson from Osun.

“The people of Osun have shown Nigerians that free, fair and credible election is possible in the country. All over the country, Nigerians should replicate what happened in Osun in the 2027 general elections,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to vote in large numbers, arguing that high turnout could reduce the room for electoral manipulation.

‘The people have the say’ — Adima

Political activist Blessing Adima said Osun voters had demonstrated that citizens should not simply cast their ballots and return home.

“The Osun people have set the template and they have shown us the aspect that we have not been looking at in our democracy. That is, if the people vote, they should not go to sleep; they should protect their votes,” she said.

According to her, the Osun experience showed that citizens could help institutions uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

‘2027 must not be business as usual’ — Omenazu

Dr Jackson Omenazu, President of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR), said the Osun experience should inspire Nigerians to break the cycle of vote buying, intimidation, misinformation and electoral manipulation.

“The Osun state experience reminds us that democracy is not merely about casting a ballot; it is about citizens being sufficiently vigilant to protect that ballot and insist that their collective will is respected,” he said.

He called for monitoring from accreditation through voting, counting, collation and declaration.

“Let the Osun example inspire Nigeria. Let vigilance become our democratic shield. Let our votes become our voice. 2027 must not be business as usual,” Omenazu said.

Amananaghan calls for peaceful engagement

Tare Maureen Amananaghan, Executive Director of Fringe Voices Development Foundation, said the scenes from Osun demonstrated citizens’ determination to ensure that legitimate votes were counted.

“The events witnessed during the Osun governorship election send a powerful message about the strength of citizen participation in democracy,” she said.

Amananaghan said voters could replicate the resilience displayed in Osun but insisted that it must remain within the law.

“Protecting the vote should never translate into intimidation, violence, or interference with electoral officials. Rather, it means remaining peaceful, vigilant, and insisting on transparency throughout the electoral process,” she said.

Aghomi warns against dangerous self-help

Not everyone agreed that the physical monitoring witnessed in Osun should be replicated.

Austin Aghomi, media consultant and Coordinator of Journalists for Just Development of the Niger Delta, warned that citizens should not be encouraged to put their lives at risk in the name of protecting their votes.

“An election won and lost on the fatal vigilance and resilience of defenseless voters is nothing to cheer about. No election is worth dying for to protect the citizens’ vote,” he said.

Aghomi maintained that INEC, the police and other state institutions responsible for electoral security should properly perform their duties.

“Nigerian voters don’t need to replicate risky resilience and vigilance of Osun voters in 2027. The Electoral Act must be fully implemented, enforced against infractions by all manner of defaulters,” he said.

Osun can be replicated nationwide — Chief Okoh

Chief Johnson Okoh, former council chairman, said Nigerians should seek credible elections at every level.

“It is the wish of every reasonable Nigerian that we replicate what took place in Osun in the governorship election of last Saturday. It is mandatory for us to have credible elections in this country,” he said.

He said the same principle should apply to elections into the House of Assembly, National Assembly and the presidency.

Afenifere: Osun voters showed civic awakening

Apagun Kole Omololu, National Organising Secretary of Afenifere, described the Osun experience as both encouraging and revealing.

“The Osun experience becomes both encouraging and sobering. The voters displayed an admirable awakening of civic consciousness. They refused to accept that their democratic duty ended once their ballots were cast,” he said.

However, Omololu warned that citizens physically escorting election materials should not become the permanent substitute for strong electoral institutions.

“The lesson for 2027 is not that Nigerians must physically escort electoral materials. It is that the electorate must abandon passivity and embrace disciplined, lawful vigilance voting, observing, documenting and insisting upon transparency while resisting provocation,” he said.

Reject vote-buying, Ikubese tells electorate

Dr Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, former presidential aspirant and convener of the YesWeFit Revolutionary Movement, urged Nigerians to reject vote buying.

He said coming out to vote was the first step in protecting the electoral process, followed by ensuring that the votes were properly counted and the results accurately collated.

“The voters should also be aware that any candidate that gives them money for votes has shown clearly that he or she is going there to loot and should not be voted for,” he said.

Bello: Osun voters should embolden Nigerians

Rt Hon Bakkita Bello, Secretary of Afenifere in Ondo State, said the courage displayed by Osun voters should inspire Nigerians ahead of future elections.

He said the resilience of voters, despite threats, harassment, attacks and heavy security presence, was commendable.

According to him, the determination of citizens to defend their votes may have helped ensure that electoral officials stayed within the rules.

Saka: Osun gave Nigeria hope

Waheed Saka, Convener of Dialogue 365, said Osun voters had demonstrated that determined citizens could influence the dynamics of an election.

“The people of Osun State did not just give the electoral process hope, but Nigeria. They showed that if the people have the will, nothing is unachievable,” he said.

He noted that the involvement of citizens could strengthen democratic institutions and reduce electoral apathy.

Sara-Igbe: Osun is an encouragement to Rivers

High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, former spokesman of PANDEF, said the Osun election offered encouragement to voters in Rivers State.

“Osun State election, particularly to Rivers State, is just an encouragement to us. To tell us that if we stand by our votes we are going to rescue our state,” he said.

He urged voters to use their ballots to reward or remove leaders based on their performance.

Doherty backs active voter participation

Funso Doherty, Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate for Lagos State, said there was nothing preventing Nigerians from adopting the positive aspects of the Osun experience.

“There is nothing stopping Nigerians generally from doing what Osun voters did in order to secure the legitimacy of the 2027 general elections,” he said.

According to him, protecting votes requires widespread participation from voters across wards and polling units.

Ekujumi questions physical escorting of results

Activist Nelson Ekujumi offered another perspective, questioning the necessity of physically following vehicles carrying election materials.

He noted that polling officers, party agents and security officials receive copies of results signed at the polling unit.

He therefore argued that voters could protect their votes by remaining at the polling station, observing the counting and witnessing the declaration of results.

Ologun: ‘If it can be done in Osun, it can happen anywhere’

Ayo Ologun, spokesperson for The Osun Masterminds (TOM), said the resilience displayed by Osun voters could be replicated elsewhere.

“Nigerians should copy the resilience exhibited by Osun electorates,” he said.

Ologun said citizens became powerful participants in the electoral process when they took ownership of it.

Ogunsuyi calls for organised vigilance

Lanre Ogunsuyi, Public Affairs Analyst and former Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation in Ekiti State, said Nigerians could replicate Osun’s resilience but should avoid confrontation.

“Nigerians can definitely replicate Osun’s resilience and vigilance in the 2027 general elections. But the real test is whether that resilience becomes a national culture of informed voting,” he said.

He noted that the scale of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory meant that vigilance would have to be organised to meet different security and logistical realities.

Ijioma: Political power has limits

Gen. Ijioma Nwokoro Ijioma (retd.), governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP) in Abia State, said the Osun election demonstrated that incumbency and intimidation could not permanently suppress voters’ choices.

“The outcome of the recent Osun state governorship election has demonstrated that incumbency, political power and intimidation have limits,” he said.

He urged politicians to respect the electorate’s decision.

Ukpai: Osun should be the new standard

Dr Ukpai Iro Ukpai, South-East Zonal Coordinator of the Kwankwaso National Network (KNN), said the Osun experience should become the standard for Nigerian voters.

“The Osun example should become the new standard for the Nigerian electorate, given what we face in our democracy,” he said.

According to him, Osun voters demonstrated that citizens could actively protect their electoral choices rather than leaving the responsibility entirely to institutions.

Ibem urges lawful vigilance

President General of the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), Comrade Goodluck Ibem, said voters should monitor counting and collation, document results lawfully, verify figures through official platforms and report suspected irregularities.

He warned that defending the ballot should never become an excuse for violence or vigilantism.

Pogu: Nigerians are fed up with manipulation

National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Bitrus Pogu, said the Osun experience reflected growing frustration with electoral manipulation.

“The truth of the matter is that people are fed up with manipulations by some politicians and the compromised system,” he said.

He called for greater transparency so that voters could regain confidence in the electoral system.

Arewa Youth Assembly supports organised vigilance

Speaker of the Arewa Youth Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Salisu Danlami, said democracy did not end when citizens cast their ballots.

He said: “The determination displayed by Osun voters showed that an informed and vigilant electorate could play an important role in protecting the integrity of elections.”

Danlami urged voters to understand the electoral process, observe counting, verify results and document proceedings where legally permitted.

Sani: Voter awareness could prove decisive

Former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, described the growing awareness among voters as a positive development.

He said Nigerians were increasingly conscious of the power of their votes to influence who governs them and demand accountability.

Hassan warns against crossing the line

Ahmed Hassan, a politician, said the Osun experience offered an important lesson about the role of voters in protecting elections.

He, however, warned that vigilance should not turn into confrontation.

“The challenge ahead of 2027 will be to transform the determination witnessed in Osun into disciplined civic participation rather than street confrontation or actions that could endanger lives or undermine the electoral process,” he said.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the broad message from the stakeholders is that Nigerians should not abandon their votes after casting them. They should participate, observe, document and demand transparency — but do so peacefully, lawfully and without putting lives at unnecessary risk.

The Osun election, in the view of many of those who spoke, has therefore provided both a democratic lesson and a challenge: citizens must become more active custodians of their votes, while electoral institutions must earn and maintain public confidence.

The report was contributed to by Olasunkanmi Akoni, Samuel Oyadongha, Rotimi Ojomoyela, Peter Duru, Egufe Yafugborhi, Davies Iheamnachor, Shina Abubakar, Emma Una, Steve Oko, Adeola Badru, Emem Idio, Ochuko Akuopha, Daniel Abia and Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo.

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