Atiku and ADC Accuse Tinubu of Inciting Osun Election Violence

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of undermining the credibility of the Osun governorship election. Speaking at a youth summit in Abuja, Atiku warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against result manipulation and criticized the heavy security presence in Osun State, arguing that the deployment creates an atmosphere of siege rather than a democratic exercise.

The political tension escalated following a viral video of Senator Francis Fadahunsi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who allegedly called for attacks against the Accord Party during a rally in Ilesa. While Fadahunsi told the Osun State Police Command that he intended for supporters to kill opponents with their votes, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ADC have condemned the rhetoric as part of a do-or-die political culture.

ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi explicitly blamed President Tinubu for the Senator's behavior, claiming that Tinubu's previous statement that all is fair in politics served as an authorization for political actors to cross acceptable boundaries. Atiku further urged the president to ensure state institutions remain neutral and questioned the authenticity of the academic certificates Tinubu submitted to INEC.