Stakeholders and residents in Osun State have expressed concern over the cancellation of the planned Osun 2026 Governorship Debate.
The stakeholders said the development has denied voters an opportunity to assess the programmes and policies of candidates ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The debate, scheduled for Saturday, August 1, in Osogbo, was called off after the organisers cited security concerns and the reluctance of some leading governorship candidates to participate under the prevailing circumstances.
The event was jointly organised by Uniq FM, Rave FM, Diamond FM and Fresh FM.
In a statement, the organisers said “the decision was reached unanimously following unfavourable security reports and the unwillingness of some major candidates to attend the debate.”
They explained that “the cancellation was necessary to safeguard participants, invited guests, journalists and members of the public.”
The debate was expected to feature governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, African Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord and the African Action Congress, AAC, providing an opportunity for them to present their manifestoes and respond to public questions before the election.
The organisers also noted that the decision followed reports of security concerns in parts of Osun State, adding that public safety remained their priority.
They thanked residents and stakeholders for their understanding and promised to communicate any future arrangements through appropriate channels.
Following the announcement, several residents reacted, with many expressing disappointment over the inability of the leading candidates to publicly present their plans for the state before the electorate.
Media executive and civil society advocate Jare Tiamiyu criticised the absence of the candidates from the debate, describing it as a missed opportunity for democratic engagement.
“It’s highly unfortunate that leading governorship candidates in Osun are avoiding scrutiny. It’s obvious that they intentionally orchestrate and sustain crisis to cover discussion on their agenda. So sad!” Tiamiyu wrote on his social media page.
Responding to the post, a resident identified as Mayowa argued that the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, was preparing for a separate debate with Channels Television rather than the cancelled event.
Mayowa wrote, “My party governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), is preparing for a debate with an independent television station whose founder is not an appointee of Mr President or any governor. Rave FM, Fresh FM and Westerspring Television can invite AAC, SDP or Accord to their debate.”
Another resident, AbdulAzeez Ismail, also expressed concern over the development, saying governorship aspirants should be willing to explain their agenda directly to the electorate before seeking their votes.
The cancellation of the debate comes less than two weeks before the Osun governorship election.