Osun poll: HURIWA praises electorate, INEC, law enforcement, slams electoral bribery

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— Says poll offers Nigeria roadmap for peaceful, credible elections

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By Chioma Obinna

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The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Sunday commended the people of Osun State for their courage and vigilance during Saturday’s governorship election, saying the largely peaceful conduct of the poll offers Nigeria a roadmap for credible elections.

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In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA said Osun voters deserved particular commendation for turning out to exercise their franchise despite the atmosphere of fear and tension that preceded the election.

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The association also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what it described as the largely transparent, professional and neutral conduct of the election.

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It similarly praised security agencies for providing an environment that enabled citizens to exercise their franchise without widespread disruption.

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HURIWA said the relative peace recorded during the poll was significant, particularly against the backdrop of reported violence and killings in parts of the state before the election.

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The association congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and urged him to regard the victory as a mandate to serve all residents of Osun State, irrespective of their political affiliations.

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The Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke winner with 511,067 votes, ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.

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HURIWA urged Adeleke to extend a hand of reconciliation to his opponents and use his renewed mandate to improve governance, protect human rights and enhance the welfare of the people.

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“An election victory is not a licence to victimise political opponents. It is a mandate to serve even those who voted against you,” the association said.

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The group said one of the major lessons from the Osun election was the need for Nigeria to abandon the mentality that elections were matters of life and death.

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“Election is not war. Politics is not warfare. Political opponents are not enemies, and the pursuit of public office cannot justify the shedding of innocent blood,” it said.

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HURIWA called on security agencies to investigate all reported cases of violence associated with the election and ensure that perpetrators, irrespective of political affiliation or status, were brought to justice.

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“No office in Nigeria is worth the life of one citizen. No political ambition is important enough to justify assassination, intimidation, arson, thuggery or communal violence,” the group warned.

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The association, however, identified reported vote buying as a major blemish on the electoral process, warning that the practice threatened the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

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“Vote buying is electoral robbery disguised as generosity. It is an assault on the sovereignty of the people,” HURIWA said.

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It urged INEC, the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant agencies to investigate credible allegations of vote buying and prosecute electoral offenders where evidence was established.

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HURIWA said such investigations should go beyond those who physically induced voters to uncover the financial networks and political actors behind the practice.

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While commending INEC, the association urged the commission to document lessons from the Osun election and apply them in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.

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It said sustained public confidence would depend on continued improvements in transparency, logistics, voter accreditation, result management and communication.

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The association also urged security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality, stressing that their responsibility was to protect voters, ballots and the electoral process rather than serve political interests.

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“The duty of the police and other security agencies is to protect the voter, protect the ballot and protect the integrity of the electoral process. They must not become instruments in the hands of political actors,” it said.

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HURIWA called on political parties and candidates to commit themselves to non-violence, while urging traditional, religious and community leaders to discourage the recruitment of youths as political thugs.

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It also appealed to young people not to allow themselves to be used to perpetrate violence.

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“Young Nigerians must refuse to die for politicians who will sit in fortified homes while they are sent into the streets to fight, kill and destroy,” the association said.

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HURIWA urged voters to resist manipulation through ethnic and religious sentiments, intimidation and financial inducements.

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It said the ultimate lesson from Osun was that political power belonged to the people and must be exercised through free, peaceful and credible elections.

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“Politicians are not the owners of Nigeria. They are temporary custodians of public power. The people are the sovereigns, and the ballot is their instrument of choice,” HURIWA said.

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The association urged all political actors to embrace reconciliation, accountability and responsible governance, while calling on aggrieved candidates to seek redress through lawful channels rather than violence.

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“The message from Osun must be clear: elections are not war; voters are not commodities; the ballot box is not a battlefield; and political power is never worth the blood of a Nigerian,” it said.

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