By John Dike, Osogbo
With less than a week to the August 15 Osun State governorship election, Osogbo, the state capital, is witnessing a sharp influx of journalists, domestic and foreign election observers, civil society organisations and political stakeholders, resulting in a surge in hotel bookings and accommodation costs.
Findings by our correspondent on Sunday revealed that many hotels, guest houses and lodges across the city are already nearing full occupancy as visitors continue to arrive ahead of the crucial governorship poll.
The increased demand for accommodation has also triggered a sharp rise in room tariffs, with many hotel operators adjusting their prices upward in response to the growing influx of guests.
Checks at several hotels showed that rooms previously rented for between ₦15,000 and ₦18,000 per night now cost between ₦20,000 and ₦25,000.
Similarly, guest houses where single rooms previously attracted about ₦10,000 per night have also reviewed their rates upward.
Luxury hotels have equally increased their charges. Standard rooms that were formerly rented for about ₦35,000 now go for between ₦45,000 and ₦50,000 per night, while executive suites have risen to between ₦135,000 and ₦150,000 depending on the location, facilities and class of the hotel.
A manager at Yetty Hotel, located around the popular Olaiya area of Osogbo, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak officially, confirmed the increase in patronage.
According to him, almost all the hotel’s 25 rooms had already been booked by visitors arriving in the state for the election.
“Our hotel has about 25 rooms and almost all of them have been reserved. We still receive calls every day from people looking for accommodation, but we have very few spaces left.
“The cheapest room that used to cost ₦15,000 per night now goes for ₦20,000 because of the high demand occasioned by the governorship election,” he said.
The manager explained that Yetty Hotel remained one of the most affordable hotels within the Osogbo metropolis, making it attractive to journalists, election observers and other visitors.
He noted that business had been relatively slow before the election season but had improved significantly over the past few days.
“Before preparations for the election gathered momentum, patronage was quite low. But now, we have seen a sharp increase because election observers, journalists and other visitors have started arriving in large numbers.
“We expect even more people to come into Osogbo as the election draws closer,” he added.
A visit by our correspondent to several hotels within the state capital revealed similar situations, with many operators confirming that reservations had been made weeks in advance by media organisations, observer groups and political stakeholders.
Some hotel managers said they were receiving booking requests from Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan and other parts of the country, while a number of foreign observers were also expected before election day.
The development has also extended to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Osogbo, where the available accommodation has reportedly been booked by media practitioners assigned to cover the governorship election.
Officials at the press centre disclosed that many journalists had reserved rooms more than a week in advance in anticipation of the heavy influx of reporters from national and international media organisations.
One of the officials explained that the NUJ facility remained one of the most affordable accommodation options for journalists covering major events in the state.
Beyond hotels, transport operators, restaurants, food vendors and other businesses are also recording increased patronage as economic activities continue to gather momentum ahead of the election.
Residents believe the influx of visitors is already providing a temporary boost to the local economy, with many hospitality businesses expecting one of their busiest weekends of the year.
The August 15 governorship election is expected to attract widespread national and international attention, with election observers, civil society organisations, security agencies and media organisations expected to monitor the conduct of the exercise across the state.
Meanwhile, the political atmosphere in Osun has remained tense as the two major contenders—the ruling Accord Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC)—continue to trade accusations over the spate of violence recorded in parts of the state.
The Accord Party has repeatedly accused the APC of using federal security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, to harass and unlawfully arrest its leaders and supporters ahead of the election.
The APC, however, has rejected the allegations and, in turn, accused the Accord-led administration of sponsoring and recruiting political thugs to intimidate opponents and undermine peace across the state.
The exchange of accusations has heightened concerns among residents and election observers over the security situation ahead of the poll, following reports of violent clashes in some communities that have reportedly resulted in casualties.
Both political parties have also fixed their grand finale campaign rallies for next week. While the Accord Party is scheduled to hold its final rally on Wednesday, the APC will stage its own on Thursday, barely two days before voters head to the polls.
The scheduling of the rallies initially raised fears of a possible breakdown of law and order after both parties announced activities that could have overlapped in parts of Osogbo.
However, the timely intervention of the Commissioner of Police in charge of election security, CP Erale Etiafo, who convened meetings with representatives of the political parties and other stakeholders, helped to douse tensions and ensure adjustments aimed at preventing clashes.
Security has also been significantly reinforced across Osun State, with large deployments of police personnel, military officers, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies already arriving in the state to provide security before, during and after the governorship election.
As the countdown to the election continues, Osogbo has effectively transformed into the centre of political, media and electoral activities, with hotels, guest houses, restaurants and transport operators recording brisk business while security agencies intensify efforts to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible governorship poll.
