By John Dike, Osogbo
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has called on stakeholders in Osun State to intensify efforts toward mobilising citizens for peaceful, credible and active participation in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
He made the call on Tuesday at a Town Hall Meeting organised by the NOA in Osogbo. He was represented by the South-West Zonal Director of the agency, Mr. Kehinde Ogunkuade.
The NOA boss identified voter apathy, vote buying and election-related violence as major threats capable of undermining the credibility of the governorship poll.
He urged eligible voters across the state to regard voting as both a civic duty and a patriotic responsibility, encouraging them to come out on election day without fear, intimidation or inducement.
According to him, the future of Osun State depends on the active participation of citizens in the democratic process.
Issa-Onilu warned that the growing menace of vote buying breeds bad governance, weakens democratic institutions and fuels insecurity, stressing that the practice denies citizens the opportunity to elect credible leaders.
He also appealed to young people to reject political thuggery and violence before, during and after the election.
“No political ambition is worth the loss of human lives,” he said.
The Director-General disclosed that the agency would sustain its voter education and civic enlightenment campaigns through the National Values Charter to promote peaceful coexistence and responsible citizenship.
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for the preparations already put in place to ensure a peaceful and credible election.
Speaking at the meeting, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, assured residents that INEC was fully prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election.
She urged registered voters who were yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to do so before the election, while cautioning them against vote buying, electoral violence and other acts capable of compromising the integrity of the electoral process.
Representatives of various security agencies also assured stakeholders of adequate security arrangements before, during and after the election, pledging to provide a peaceful environment that would enable voters to exercise their franchise without fear.
In his vote of thanks, the Director of the National Orientation Agency in Osun State, Mr. Adebiyi Adefarasin Stephen, refuted a report published by The Point newspaper on July 13, clarifying that he never accused any political party of fomenting violence in the state.
Traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, political parties and other stakeholders who attended the meeting jointly called for issue-based campaigns and peaceful conduct throughout the election period.
The Alabere of Abere-Ede, Oba Mutalib Adelakin, joined other participants in urging politicians to embrace tolerance and place the interest of the state above partisan consideration.
The town hall meeting ended with the adoption and signing of a communiqué by stakeholders, reaffirming their collective commitment to a peaceful, free and credible governorship election in Osun State on August 15, 2026.
