By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — Accord Party has appealed to the European Union, EU, to urgently deploy preventive diplomacy to ease mounting political tension in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, warning that international action after violence or electoral damage would come too late.
With the August 15 poll only days away, the party said the growing reports of violence, intimidation, arrests and alleged partisan use of state institutions were creating an atmosphere in which political parties and voters could lose confidence in the electoral process.
It said the outcome would also matter beyond Osun, as the election is the last major off-cycle governorship contest before the 2027 general election.
Accord National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, made the appeal in a letter dated August 12 and addressed to the EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Migot.
“We believe that the present situation calls for preventive diplomacy rather than intervention after the damage has been done,” Mgbudem said.
Accord alleged that at least 29 people had lost their lives in incidents connected with the political environment in Osun, while several others sustained gunshot injuries. It also claimed that more than 60 of its members and supporters were arrested and detained in Abuja and Nasarawa State, and called for the circumstances surrounding the arrests to be independently scrutinised.
The party said the arrests were part of a wider pattern of actions that, in its view, had heightened anxiety among political actors and residents as the election approaches.
It also raised concerns over searches of the residences of senior Osun Government officials and the arrest and detention of some officials, including the Secretary to the State Government.
Although the officials were subsequently released following widespread public concern, Accord said the circumstances surrounding their arrests still required transparent clarification.
The party cited the reported freezing of Osun State Government bank accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and President Bola Tinubu’s subsequent directive for the accounts to be unfrozen after public criticism, as another development that had fuelled concerns about the perceived use of state institutions during the election period.
Accord, however, acknowledged the constitutional and statutory duties of law-enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, stressing that its objection was not to lawful investigations or enforcement.
“Our concern, therefore, is not to obstruct any lawful investigation or enforcement action, but to ensure that legitimate State powers are not deployed in a manner that intimidates political opponents, restricts lawful political participation or creates an uneven electoral playing field,” the party said.
Mgbudem also drew the EU’s attention to what Accord described as attacks, harassment and intimidation directed at its members, particularly a viral video which, according to the party, showed a sitting senator ordering that Accord members be killed wherever they were found.
Accord said the alleged threat, whether intended or otherwise, could weaken the party’s ability to mobilise and participate effectively in the election.
It urged the EU to encourage Nigerian authorities to ensure that no party, candidate or citizen is disadvantaged through the selective application of state power or misuse of public institutions.
Specifically, the party asked the EU to publicly reaffirm the need for a free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful election in which the outcome reflects the freely expressed will of Osun voters.
It also urged political parties, candidates and supporters to reject violence, intimidation, inflammatory rhetoric, hate speech and political provocation, while calling on the Federal Government, security agencies and other public institutions to remain politically neutral and professional throughout the electoral process.
Accord further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to discharge its constitutional and statutory responsibilities independently, impartially and transparently, in line with the Constitution, Electoral Act and relevant regulations.
It called on security and law-enforcement agencies to operate within the law and respect fundamental rights and due process, particularly in the tense period immediately before and after the election.
The party also sought credible domestic and international observation of the poll, including mechanisms for documenting incidents that could threaten its integrity or peaceful conduct.
It urged political actors to accept the legitimate outcome while pursuing genuine grievances through established legal channels, and called for accountability against anyone credibly established to have sponsored, perpetrated or facilitated political violence or electoral intimidation, irrespective of political affiliation.
Accord said the EU could help prevent further deterioration by encouraging restraint and dialogue among political actors before the situation becomes harder to contain.
“A timely and principled intervention by the European Union could send a powerful message that political competition must remain peaceful, democratic and respectful of the rule of law,” it said.
The party described Saturday’s election as more than a contest for political office, saying it would test Nigeria’s ability to conduct an election in which institutions remain neutral, political parties compete on a level playing field and voters exercise their franchise without fear.
It warned that a peaceful, transparent and credible poll would strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions ahead of 2027, while any perception that violence, intimidation, institutional bias or manipulation influenced the outcome could further erode public trust.
“We are not asking the European Union to take sides in the political contest or to endorse any political party or candidate. Our appeal is for the protection of democratic principles, the rule of law, political pluralism and the fundamental right of the people of Osun State to freely choose their leaders,” Accord said.
The party said its appeal was ultimately about ensuring that the people of Osun State, rather than fear, intimidation or institutional pressure, determine their political future through a peaceful, transparent and credible electoral process.
The post Osun Election: Act now, don’t wait until after the damage – Accord tells EU appeared first on Vanguard News.