Osun First Lady leads protest over alleged voter intimidation

The First Lady of Osun State, Titilola Adeleke, on Monday led a group of women to the state police command in Osogbo to protest alleged intimidation of voters ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Adeleke was joined by the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Ayobola Awolowo, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Market Affairs, Eniola Omotoso, during the protest.

The group moved from the Lameco area through the West Bypass to the police command headquarters, where they submitted a petition to the Commissioner of Police responsible for election security, Samuel Etaifo.

The protesters called on the police to ensure that residents are allowed to vote without fear or pressure during the governorship election.

Adeleke raised concerns over alleged plans to arrest some political leaders ahead of the poll. She accused opposition elements of targeting leaders associated with her camp and called on the police to prevent actions that could create fear among voters.

She also referred to the reported arrest of the state Commissioner for Environment the previous Friday. According to her, the treatment allegedly received by the commissioner while in police custody was unacceptable and required attention from the authorities.

The First Lady urged the police to protect political actors and residents throughout the election period, saying the people should be able to participate in the poll without intimidation.

Receiving the petition, Etaifo assured the protesters that the police command would work to provide a peaceful environment for the election.

The police commissioner said the security situation in Osun had been relatively calm since his arrival in the state, but warned political actors against actions that could raise tension.

Etaifo said his deployment to Osun was based on a directive from the Inspector-General of Police to help stabilise the state ahead of the election.

He explained that his responsibility was to create a safe environment where all political parties and their supporters could participate in the electoral process and exercise their voting rights.

The police commissioner also said the command would study the complaints contained in the petition and adjust its security plans where necessary.

He assured the protesters that the issues they raised would be considered as the police prepare for the August 15 election.
The protest comes as political parties and their supporters intensify activities across Osun ahead of the governorship poll.

With the election only days away, security remains a major concern among political groups, with competing camps calling on law enforcement agencies to ensure that voters can freely participate in the election.

The police command is expected to maintain security across the state before, during and after the poll as authorities work to prevent violence, intimidation and other incidents that could disrupt the electoral process.