Ahead of the upcoming Osun governorship election, the Kukah Centre has highlighted 15 local government areas that require increased security measures. During a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the organization shared its security analysis, which was conducted under the National Peace Committee initiative.
The center’s report points to organized political violence, institutional friction, electoral fraud, and the spread of misinformation as primary threats to the stability of the election. To address these concerns, the organization has trained 45 observers covering all 30 local government areas. Project Manager Vicham Hajara Waziri noted that regions identified as more vulnerable will see a higher concentration of observers to facilitate rapid security responses.
Project Manager Asabe Ndahi detailed that Osogbo and Irewole are classified as critical-risk zones. Additionally, Iwo, Boripe, Ife Central, and Ife East are designated as high-risk areas. These findings are the result of six weeks of data collection by local field observers. The initiative, which is backed by the European Union, serves to coordinate with security agencies and stakeholders like INEC and the ICPC to mitigate potential violence. During the meeting, attendees urged residents and political actors to prioritize peaceful participation and respect the electoral process.
