By Michael Adesina/ Tolulope Oke
A mixture of fear, cautious optimism and normal activity prevailed across parts of Osun State on Friday, hours before residents vote in the governorship election.
While some residents expressed concern over threats of violence, others dismissed fears of trouble and predicted a peaceful election.
A P.M. NEWS tour of the state showed that movement remained free, with markets, shops, motor parks and garages operating normally.
Commercial activities continued without visible disruption, despite the anxiety generated by recent killings and violent incidents in other parts of the state.
However, an Obafemi Awolowo University student studying Medical Rehabilitation described the atmosphere as tense.
“The atmosphere is tense, particularly because of the threats on the streets. Even my mother warned my brother and me not to go outside,” she said.
“When I was coming, some men were saying, ‘Tomorrow will be bloody.’ They said this market would be empty tomorrow.
“I feel that if people do not vote for the opposition, there will be chaos. But definitely, after the election, there will be peace.”
“I feel that if people do not vote for the opposition, there will be chaos. But definitely, after the election, there will be peace.”
A market woman, identified as Iya Alata, however, rejected fears that violence would break out in the community.
“The community is peaceful. There is no problem, as you can see. Tomorrow, there will not be any problem or cause for concern,” she said.
Her optimism was echoed by a supporter of one of the leading candidates, who dismissed fears of violence and expressed confidence in his candidate’s chances.
“There is nothing to fear. The election will be peaceful, and we are confident that our candidate will secure 60 per cent of the votes. We know what we want, and we are not murderers either,” he said.
Other Ile-Ife residents who spoke with P.M. NEWS expressed similar confidence, saying they did not expect the violence recorded elsewhere in Osun to spread to their community.
This comes against the backdrop of several deadly incidents in the state.
Three people were killed in a clash in Ilesa on Monday. Two APC supporters were also killed and two others critically injured in another attack in the town on Tuesday, which police said was suspected to be a reprisal.
P.M. NEWS reported that the victims were attacked as they gathered for the party’s final campaign rally.
In Esa-Oke, one person was killed on Wednesday night, while another victim was hospitalised with gunshot injuries.
Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently ordered security agencies to intensify surveillance and investigate the attack. P.M. NEWS reported that property was also destroyed during the violence.
Despite the incidents, observations in Ile-Ife showed no mass closure of shops or disruption of public transportation on Friday.
In Osogbo, however, residents crowded motor parks as voters travelled to the communities where they registered.
Visits by PM News showed people arriving from other states, while some Osogbo residents left the state capital for their hometowns ahead of the poll.
One of the travellers, Mrs Mufiyat Kolawole, said she was travelling with her siblings and relatives to Ejigbo to vote.
Kolawole explained that her Permanent Voter Card was registered in Ejigbo and she had been unable to transfer her polling location to Osogbo.
“We all pray for a peaceful election, and we urge the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure a credible process and declare the winner in accordance with the law,” she said.
She added that she would transfer her registration to Osogbo before the 2027 general elections.
At Okefia Motor Park, Mr Kazeem Abdullazeez said he had been voting in Iwo Local Government Area since 2013.
He said some of his relatives were travelling from Kwara, Oyo and Lagos states to participate in the election, while his brother, who resides in the United Kingdom, was also expected to return to Osun to vote.
Abdullazeez appealed to the candidates and their supporters to accept the outcome and avoid violence, harassment and intimidation.
Another traveller, Mrs Oluwatoyin Adebiyi, said she was returning early to Esa-Oke, where she registered, to avoid transportation difficulties.
“I registered to vote in my community, and I want to be there early enough to exercise my franchise,” she said.
“I believe every voter should make an effort to participate in the election because the outcome will determine the direction of the state for the next four years.”
Beyond the motor parks, residents demanded adequate protection, credible accreditation and freedom from intimidation.
Mrs Beatrice Adeyemi, a retired teacher, urged security agencies to create a safe environment for voters and warned the electorate against selling their votes.
According to her, accepting money in exchange for votes amounts to surrendering the people’s rights and condemning them to four years of poverty and silence.
“Give us the chance to vote for who we want. Make this election a peaceful, free and fair one,” she said.
Mr Ademola Fasasi, a banker, also called on security agencies to protect voters during and after the election.
“The political tension the election is generating is uncalled for. Political actors should not see the election as war but as a call to service. We desire peace,” he said.
Fasasi urged whoever emerges as governor to prioritise healthcare, education, job creation, accountability and the welfare of residents.
A trader, Oyindamola Alao, expressed concern over reports of vote-buying but urged residents not to allow fear or intimidation to prevent them from voting.
“It is our civic right as citizens. Let us all come out to vote,” she said.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society organisations has asked INEC to ensure that Saturday’s election is free, fair, credible and transparent.
The coalition made the demand at a pre-election news conference in Osogbo themed, “2026 Osun State Governorship Election: Demanding Credibility, Peace and Accountability.”
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Uzoma Uchenna of the New Dimension Network for Peace Initiative urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to ensure that all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines were tested and protected against tampering.
Uchenna said trained officials should be available at polling units to resolve technical problems and prevent voters from being disenfranchised by equipment failure.
He also called on Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to ensure that officers deployed for the election remained neutral, professional and non-partisan.
The coalition warned security personnel against intimidating voters or interfering with their choices.
It also asked party agents to observe the process responsibly and refrain from inducement, disruption or unlawful interference.
Uchenna urged voters to monitor the counting of ballots and the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing portal.
“The 2026 Osun governorship election is not just about choosing a governor. It is a test of our democracy, our institutions and our collective resolve as a people,” he said.
Voters across Osun’s 30 local government areas will cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a governor for the next four years.
