In a democracy, the only route to power is the ballot, but this appealing concept appears to be under threat in Osun state. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed August 15, 2026 as the date for electorate to cast their votes in the governorship election poll in the state, there are however serious questions on the commitment of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, to a credible poll.
The questions stemmed from a recent viral picture of Mr Oyebamiji and a former Governor of Kogi state, Mr Yahaya Bello, in what mang believed to be taken after a meeting between the duo in Abuja. It is not unusual for politicians of the same party to meet but Mr Bello’s violent disposition, aptly captured by his ‘tatatatatatatata’ ideology, raised a red flag.
This was amplified by a Facebook post by Dayo Fasola, a known APC promoter, that suggested that the meeting between Messrs Oyebamiji and Bello was not about planning for a credible poll but the other way round. Apparently highlighting the violent tendency of Mr Bello and the expectation for Osun governorship poll, Fasola wrote tersely that “… Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello sowipe Werey na nfi nwo werey…”
For anyone who have followed Mr Bello’s political trajectory and how propensity for violence shadowed his path to power, the picture of his meeting with Mr Oyebamiji and the inference that Fasola drew about it in a Facebook post would pass on a message. Violence to reach for power has no place whatsoever in a democracy but what the picture of Messrs Oyebamiji and Bello and the inference from their supporters should worry genuine lovers of democracy.
In an ideal situation, Mr Oyebamiji should be canvassing electorate Osun and not holed up in Abuja, looking for ways to bypass the will of the people. For Mr Oyebamiji who is seeking the topmost political office in Osun state to be convenient to associate with a man standing trial for corruption while he served as Governor showed his desperation and that makes him unsuitable for the office he coveted.
If Oyebamiji knows he has what it takes to lead Osun state, he should be talking to the people and sharing his plans to make things better for them than it is currently. Running after characters like Mr Bello, who is not even a voter in Osun state, for any form of support, only tells one story and that is not something democracy envisages.
It is difficult to remember a time when a politician would be so comfortable with the impression that his route to power is manipulation and violence, because that is what the meeting with Mr Bello clearly portrayed. While Bello is not the only Nigerian politician with violence tendencies, but he seem comfortable with the anti-democratic posture and recent event suggest that Mr Oyebamiji is willing to tow that ignoble path.
Nigerians, just like every other places where democracy is the form of government, should be able to choose their leaders without the fear of violence and manipulation. But the Osun APC, which has Mr Oyebamiji as its flag bearer, is not showing sign of abiding by this simple principle, stirring serious questions on its commitment to credible poll.
Consider what will be left of a democracy when the open embrace of violence and manipulation is what count and not actually what the people wants. We all saw what such undemocratic posture foisted on Kogi state, and having such replicated in Osun state, will not doubt destroy whatever faith in democracy that is left in the minds of the people because the ballot would have sufficiently lost its essence.
But that things can still be salvaged that will be for Mr Oyebamiji to distance himself from the impression that his promoters have casted on his picture with Mr Bello. Violence has no place in a democracy and that is the more reason why many countries, including Nigeria, accepted it as form of government because people will be allowed to make their leadership choice without being accosted by gun or any other dangerous weapons to do so.
Osun people want to the poll on August 15 to cast their votes without any concerns of violence or manipulation distorting their will. This is not something too much to ask, and whoever seeks to lead Osun should not have problem accepting the reasonable path to power. As we have seen so far with Governor Ademola Adeleke, he has been able to deliver for the people because he owes his victory to them and not other means outside the dictates of democracy.
Adeniyi Olajide writes from Osogbo
