The Nigeria Police Force says officers deployed to Osun State for the 15 August governorship election remain in the state as part of a planned post-election security operation, following reports that some personnel have been stranded there for weeks and are struggling with poor welfare.

The Force said on Friday that the continued deployment was not a sign of neglect but part of established procedures for maintaining security after an election.

Its response followed reports that officers drawn from several Police Mobile Force squadrons had remained in Osun after the poll, with unnamed sources alleging that some were poorly fed and living in difficult conditions.

One report said some personnel were still around the Gbongan area and that the authorities had not clearly explained why they had not been withdrawn.

Police: deployment was planned

The Force said the officers’ continued presence was linked to the need to prevent post-election violence, respond to emerging security threats and support a return to normal policing.

It said the length of any deployment depended on operational and security requirements.

The Force also rejected claims that the personnel had been abandoned.

It said all officers deployed for the election had received their approved entitlements and that command structures remained responsible for their welfare throughout the assignment.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said portraying the deployment as institutional neglect was misleading and could affect police morale and public confidence.

The statement urged news organisations to verify claims, particularly those attributed to unnamed sources, before publication.

Why are officers still in Osun?

There is evidence that the police had planned security operations beyond election day.

Before the election, the Force announced the deployment of about 15,000 personnel across Osun’s 30 local government areas. The operation included conventional police officers, the Police Mobile Force and specialised units.

The police also deployed Deputy Inspector-General Ishyaku Mohammed to coordinate the operation and said security arrangements would cover the period before, during and after the election.

Two days after the election, The PUNCH reported that the Force had retained the personnel in Osun and deployed anti-riot and undercover officers to strategic locations because of concerns about possible post-election violence.

The report said at least 34 election-related violent incidents had been recorded in the state since May, resulting in 18 deaths.

The election itself produced a clear result. The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner after he secured 511,067 votes against 444,815 for APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji.

However, the conclusion of voting and declaration of a winner do not necessarily mean that all election-related security operations end immediately.

The police have used similar post-election arrangements in previous elections. In 2019, for example, the Force directed commanders to intensify post-election monitoring, particularly around collation centres and other vulnerable locations.

Welfare claims remain the key unanswered question

The police explanation addresses why personnel may still be in Osun, but it does not independently establish the conditions in which those officers are living.

Reports from unnamed sources alleged poor feeding and difficult conditions, while the Force said officers had received their approved entitlements. Neither side has publicly released detailed records showing the number of officers still in Osun, their current locations, their feeding arrangements or the date on which they are expected to return to their regular formations.

That information would help resolve the central question for the public: if the deployment is operationally necessary, are the officers receiving adequate support while they remain there?

The issue also matters because police welfare is not simply an internal administrative concern.

The Nigeria Police Act places responsibility on the Inspector-General to ensure the physical, mental and psychological wellbeing of police personnel and to oversee their welfare and conditions of service.

Nigeria also introduced amended Police Regulations in 2026 as part of wider efforts to strengthen accountability, professionalism and service delivery within the Force.

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A large operation with a large logistical burden

Keeping thousands of officers in another state after an election carries a significant logistical responsibility.

Personnel require accommodation, food, transport, medical support, communications and eventual movement back to their regular commands.

The size of the Osun operation illustrates that challenge. The police had announced 15,000 personnel for the election, while the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room reported the deployment of 15,000 police officers alongside 10,210 personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and 100 officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The police therefore face two demands at the same time: maintaining enough security to prevent post-election violence while avoiding unnecessary prolonged deployment.

For officers, the quality and timeliness of welfare support will affect morale. For the public, the question is whether continued deployment provides a measurable security benefit.

What happens next?

The immediate issue is not whether post-election security operations are legitimate. Evidence shows that such operations form part of election security planning.

The more important question is whether the current scale and duration of the Osun deployment remain justified and whether the officers are receiving the welfare promised by the Force.

The Nigeria Police Force says command structures remain responsible for the personnel and insists that no officers have been abandoned.

The next step should be greater clarity from the Force on how many officers remain in Osun, what security tasks they are performing, what welfare arrangements are in place and when the deployment will end.

Until those details are made available, the allegations of poor welfare remain unverified, while the police explanation establishes that continued post-election deployment was part of its broader security strategy.

….The Osun governor defeats APC’s Bola Oyebamiji by 66,252 votes as he promises to expand development and govern for all residents.Governor Ademola Adeleke has won a second term in office after defeating his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s Osun governorship election.

Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes, according to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The governor won by 66,252 votes, taking 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.

The result gives Adeleke another four-year mandate after he won the 2022 election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

This time, he secured re-election on the Accord Party platform after leaving the PDP.

Adeleke calls victory a win for democracy

Speaking after his victory was declared, Adeleke described the result as a victory for democracy and thanked Osun voters for backing his administration.

“First of all, I thank God Almighty for what has happened today.”

He said the result represented the people’s endorsement of his record in office.

“It’s a victory for democracy. A victory for Osun people that stood by me. That said, Imole, you have done a lot for us. You have given us the dividend of democracy.”

Adeleke cited infrastructure, education and agriculture as areas where he believed his administration had delivered.

The claims reflect the governor’s assessment of his record and should be distinguished from independently measured evidence of performance.

Governor promises industrialisation

Adeleke said his priority for his second term would be to move Osun away from its traditional dependence on the public sector.

“My vision is to make sure Osun State moves from civil service state to industrial state.”

He also promised to expand development across the state.

“And make sure all across Osun State, development is on.”

The promise will place pressure on the administration to demonstrate measurable progress in areas such as industrial investment, employment, infrastructure and internally generated revenue during the next four years.

Osun has historically depended heavily on federal allocations and public-sector activity, making diversification of the state’s economy a significant policy challenge.

Adeleke reaffirms support for Tinubu in 2027

One of the most politically significant parts of Adeleke’s victory speech was his renewed endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.

Tinubu belongs to the APC, while Adeleke contested the Osun election under the Accord Party.

Adeleke thanked the president for what he described as support for a free and fair election.

“At this point, I must deeply appreciate Mr. President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his strong support for a free and fair election.”

He then reaffirmed his earlier support for Tinubu’s 2027 bid.

“Mr. President is a son of Osun State, and I hereby reaffirm my earlier endorsement of him for a second time in the 2027 presidential election.”

Adeleke’s endorsement is politically significant because it crosses party lines and comes after a governorship contest in which his Accord Party defeated the APC candidate.

The governor had previously expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election bid. His latest statement confirms that the position remains unchanged after the Osun poll.

‘There is no victor, no vanquished’

Adeleke also sought to lower the political temperature following a closely contested election.

He extended an olive branch to his opponents and said he would govern beyond party lines.

“In this race, there is no victor, no vanquished. I extend my olive branch to my co-contestants. I am the governor of all Osun State people.”

His comments come after a campaign marked by intense competition between the Accord Party and APC.

Adeleke later said he expected Oyebamiji to congratulate him.

“I’m expecting Oyebamiji as a civilised person to call me and congratulate me.”

Oyebamiji had not publicly accepted the result in the portion of the governor’s speech provided for this report.

A much closer race than the headline suggests

Although Adeleke won by more than 66,000 votes, the election was competitive.

Oyebamiji won 11 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Adeleke secured 19.

The result also represents a change in Adeleke’s political platform from his 2022 victory.

In 2022, he won under the PDP with 403,371 votes, defeating then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, who scored 375,027 votes.

Adeleke’s 2026 vote total is therefore substantially higher than his 2022 figure, while his latest victory comes from a different party platform.

The movement also gives Adeleke a stronger mandate to pursue the economic transformation he has promised, although the scale of that mandate will ultimately be measured by what his government delivers during the next four years.

What Adeleke has promised

The governor’s victory speech contained three broad commitments.

First, he promised to expand development and improve governance across Osun.

Second, he pledged to pursue the transformation of Osun from a civil-service-dependent economy into an industrial state and investment destination.

Third, he presented himself as governor for the entire state rather than only those who supported him.

“I am the governor of all Osun State people.”

Those commitments will now move from campaign rhetoric to government policy.

The administration will face questions over how it intends to attract investors, create jobs, improve infrastructure and generate sustainable revenue without placing additional pressure on residents.

The election and its wider political significance

Adeleke’s victory also has implications beyond Osun.

The governor’s endorsement of Tinubu creates an unusual political alignment between an Accord Party governor and an APC president ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Tinubu’s political strength in Osun and the wider South-West will be closely watched as parties prepare for the next general election.

For Adeleke, however, the immediate challenge is different: converting an electoral victory into measurable improvements in the lives of Osun residents.

What happens next?

With INEC’s declaration complete, attention now turns to the transition into Adeleke’s second term and the implementation of his promised economic agenda.

The governor has promised to expand development and move Osun towards industrialisation.

He has also called for unity after the election.

Whether those promises translate into more investment, jobs, infrastructure and improved public services will provide the clearest measure of his second-term performance.

For now, Adeleke has secured another four years.

The voters have delivered the mandate. The next test is what his government does with it.

….The Election Observation Hub says voting was largely peaceful and inclusive, but reports vote trading, ballot exposure, voter intimidation and delays at some polling units.

The European Union-backed Election Observation Hub has reported 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities in the first part of Saturday’s Osun governorship election, including 103 cases of alleged vote trading and 85 incidents involving exposure of ballot papers.

The Hub, which deployed observers across the state, said the figures came from 726 polling units monitored as of 12 noon.

It also reported 38 security incidents, including alleged thuggery, attacks on election officials and voter intimidation.

The findings provide an early picture of an election that observers described as largely peaceful and orderly, but with significant concerns over vote buying, election technology and the conduct of some voters, party agents and security personnel.

BVAS problems and late opening

The observers found that election materials were available at 608, or 83.7%, of the polling units observed between 07:30 and 08:00.

Another 75 polling units opened between 08:00 and 08:30, while 42 began between 08:30 and 11:00.

One polling unit had still not opened by 11:00 because election personnel and materials had not arrived.

The Hub also recorded 58 BVAS malfunctions, representing 7.9% of the 726 polling units observed.

It said 41 of the affected devices, or 70.7%, were eventually fixed and accreditation resumed.

The finding is significant because INEC had previously presented the BVAS as a key safeguard for voter accreditation. During preparations for the election, the commission said a mock accreditation exercise was intended to identify and resolve possible technical problems before election day.

Independent reports from polling units on Saturday have also recorded BVAS-related delays in parts of Irepodun, Olorunda and Ede local government areas.

The Hub is therefore calling on INEC to deploy RATECH teams and backup BVAS devices to polling units where machines fail.

Vote trading remains a major concern

Of the 323 electoral offences and irregularities recorded by the observers, the largest category listed was vote trading, with 103 cases.

The Hub also recorded 85 cases involving exposure of ballot papers, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 31 cases of obstruction of voters and 28 cases involving alleged inducement of polling and security officials.

It recorded smaller numbers involving multiple voting, voter impersonation and misconduct by election officials.

Vote trading has remained a recurring concern in Nigeria’s recent off-cycle elections. Observer groups raised similar concerns during the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, despite reporting improvements in some aspects of election administration.

Security incidents reported

The Hub said it observed an average of three security personnel at polling units.

It praised the professional conduct of most officers but reported cases of alleged voter intimidation by security agents at polling units in Ejigbo and Osogbo.

The reports come against a background of heightened security concerns before the Osun poll. INEC had identified 385 potential flashpoints and 200 difficult terrains across the state during its election preparations.

The Nigeria Police Force also deployed a Deputy Inspector-General of Police to coordinate election security operations in the state.

The police had separately warned against violence and barred Amotekun and other non-state security groups from participating in election security operations.

Women and people with disabilities participate

The observation report also recorded relatively strong participation by women and people with disabilities.

Women accounted for about 59% of voters in the polling units observed, while more than 70% of voters turned out in the 12 polling units specifically designated for people with disabilities.

Women also represented 36% of polling officials in the units observed.

The findings suggest that accessibility and participation were not major obstacles in most of the polling units monitored, although the Hub has urged INEC to ensure that priority voting and assistive devices remain available for elderly, pregnant and disabled voters.

A more engaged electorate?

The Hub described voter turnout as impressive and said voters were generally peaceful and orderly.

That assessment is notable because turnout has historically been a challenge in Osun elections.

In the 2022 governorship election, about 804,450 people voted out of 1.95 million registered voters, giving a turnout of roughly 42.4%, according to an election report.

However, Saturday’s observation cannot yet establish whether final turnout will be higher because voting was still underway when the Hub released its midday assessment.

INEC had put the number of registered voters for the 2026 election at 2,339,233, spread across 3,763 polling units in the state’s 30 local government areas.

Why the findings matter

For voters, the biggest immediate concern is whether technical and logistical problems prevent anyone from exercising their franchise.

For political parties and candidates, the allegations of vote trading, intimidation and other offences could affect perceptions of the credibility of the election.

For INEC, the BVAS failures and delayed opening of some polling units will test whether its election-day contingency arrangements work as promised.

The election also carries significance beyond Osun. The Hub has described the poll as a test of Nigeria’s electoral framework and a potential indicator ahead of the 2027 general election.

The observer coalition had already called before the election for timely deployment of materials, functioning BVAS devices, transparent results management and effective security responses.

What happens next?

The Hub says its observers will remain at polling units and then move to collation centres to monitor counting, collation and transmission of results.

It has urged political parties and candidates to await INEC’s official declaration and take any grievances through the courts rather than resorting to protests or violence.

It has also asked the media not to publish unofficial or projected results before INEC makes the appropriate declarations.

The Hub says it will publish a post-election report examining the overall conduct, credibility and outcome of the election.

For now, the picture from its observers is mixed: strong voter participation and generally peaceful polling, but persistent concerns about vote trading, ballot secrecy, security conduct, BVAS failures and election-day logistics.