Osun: The Cost of a ‘Rehearsal’

The Osun State gubernatorial election in Nigeria revealed a number of concerning issues. The campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, was overwhelmed by Governor Ademola Adeleke's support. Despite claiming the election would resemble a "trailer facing a Keke" (bicycle), Yilwatda was defeated. This loss should raise concerns about the human, institutional, and financial costs of the electoral process.

The election resulted in numerous fatalities. Three days before the vote, Ayegbo Oluwadele was shot in Esa-Oke, and Oni Timilehin, a 19-year-old first-time candidate, was killed in Ijebu-Jesa. These incidents suggest a broader pattern of election-related violence. Estimates of deaths range from 18 to 35, highlighting discrepancies in documenting electoral violence within Nigeria.

Holding the election required significant security resources. Approximately 25,310 personnel, including police, NSCDC members, EFCC operatives, and support staff, were deployed for a single day. This deployment represented roughly seven security personnel per polling unit and one officer for every 40 votes cast. The scale of deployment was immense, yet it is unclear if this level of security is consistently applied outside of electoral periods.

The campaign also involved high-profile federal politicians converging on Osun State, despite not being eligible voters. This concentration of national political power in one state raises questions about resource allocation and the fairness of the electoral process. Additionally, extensive financial support for voting, estimated between N20,000 and N50,000 per vote, further illustrates the resource disparity in the electoral process.

In summary, the Osun State election exposed issues in electoral violence documentation, security deployment priorities, and the influence of national political figures on local elections. Despite the legitimacy of the mandate, the social context of poverty and low primary school attendance rates underscores the challenges of a functioning electoral democracy in Nigeria.