ALL EYES ON EDE. THE EDE FACTOR, STRATEGIC FOCUS AND INEC TIME SHOULD BE THE FIRST INTEGRITY TEST
Writer - ABIODUN BOLADE (AbbeyGovernor) Co-National Convener (TINUBUNEWMEDIA)
8/14/20264 min read
Tomorrow, Osun will not merely choose a governor. It will choose what kind of democracy it wants to be. The ballot is the great equaliser of the poor and the powerful — but only if it is protected, counted honestly, and announced transparently.
Every genuine democracy has learned the same lesson: electoral integrity is never accidental. It is enforced by alert citizens, disciplined party agents, courageous observers, and an unyielding commitment to the rule of law. Tomorrow, that duty falls on every son and daughter of Osun who believes that power must flow from the people, not from manipulation.
THE EDE FACTOR: STRATEGIC FOCUS, NOT SUSPICION
Governor Ademola Adeleke’s political base is deeply rooted in Ede, the ancestral home of the Adeleke family. In previous contests, this stronghold has produced decisive margins. It is therefore both natural and necessary that every serious stakeholder pays careful attention to the conduct of the polls in Ede North and Ede South Local Government Areas.
This is not an attack on Ede or its people. It is a demand that no local government — especially a candidate’s own hometown — becomes the final, isolated arithmetic that “balances” the overall result. When a candidate’s base becomes the last place where results are collated and announced, suspicion grows. Delay creates opportunity. Transparency demands that Ede’s votes are counted, posted, and declared without delay, without ambiguity, and without special treatment.
The people of Ede deserve a result that no one can question.
FIVE STRATEGIC PILLARS FOR A CREDIBLE PROCESS
1. TIME IS THE FIRST INTEGRITY TEST
INEC regulations are clear: accreditation and voting commence in the morning and close at approximately 2:00pm–2:30pm. Voters already on the queue at the official closing time must be allowed to vote. Those who arrive after the cut-off must not.
· Party agents must record the exact time polling units open and close.
· Photograph the closing queue if possible.
· Any attempt to keep polling units open beyond the lawful period in selected locations — particularly in Ede — must be challenged immediately and escalated to the Presiding Officer, security agencies, and INEC supervisors.
· Time is not elastic when democracy is at stake.
2. COLLATION MUST BE ORDERLY, OPEN, AND IMMEDIATE
Results from every polling unit must be counted, recorded on Form EC8A, signed by agents present, and pasted publicly before movement to the ward and local government collation centres.
· No local government should become the final, isolated figure that “balances” the overall result.
· APC agents must insist that collation proceeds systematically and in the prescribed sequence.
· Photograph every result sheet in real time.
· Refuse to leave the collation centre until the result is recorded and announced.
· If results from Ede are delayed, ask the presiding officer and INEC officials one simple question: “Why?”
3. UNRELENTING PRESENCE OF AGENTS AND OBSERVERS
APC polling agents and observers must be in position early, remain until the last ballot is counted, and refuse to leave their stations under any pressure.
· Document every irregularity with timestamps, photographs, and written statements.
· Maintain a parallel vote tabulation where feasible.
· Keep a direct line open to the party’s legal and media teams.
· The eyes of the party, civil society, and the watching nation must not blink.
4. A RAPID ESCALATION MATRIX
If you witness any irregularity, act immediately and lawfully:
· First: Report to the Presiding Officer and demand correction.
· Second: Call the party’s field coordinator or legal hotline.
· Third: Notify INEC supervisors and security agencies.
· Fourth: Record the incident with time, location, and names.
· Fifth: Share verified information only through official party channels.
Do not be provoked. Do not destroy evidence. Do not allow legitimate vigilance to be painted as disorder.
5. NON-VIOLENCE IS STRATEGIC STRENGTH
The greatest victory is won when the process is so clean that even the loser can accept the result. Protect the ballot as you would protect your own future. Reject violence in word and action. A disciplined, lawful defence of votes is far more powerful than any confrontation.
THE CANDIDATE AND THE CONTRAST
Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji — AMBO — has offered Osun a clear alternative rooted in experience, fiscal discipline, and a vision of shared prosperity.
· He served as Osun State Commissioner for Finance.
· He led the state’s investment company with measurable impact.
· As head of the National Inland Waterways Authority, he transformed an agency once known for tragedy into one of Nigeria’s most celebrated public-sector success stories — reducing boat accident fatalities by about 70 per cent and winning Maritime Agency of the Year 2025.
The people now have the opportunity to judge both records at the ballot box — freely, fairly, and without manipulation.
FIELD AGENT QUICK CARD
Before you sleep tonight, remember these seven commandments of election protection:
1. Arrive early — by 7:00am or before opening.
2. Know your polling unit number and confirm it.
3. Record opening and closing times — time is evidence.
4. Photograph Form EC8A — the result sheet is the truth.
5. Never sign a result you did not witness.
6. If pressured, write “UNDER PROTEST” and document it.
7. Stay until the result is pasted and recorded.
A FINAL WORD TO EVERY OSUN PATRIOT
This is not just an election. It is a test of whether the will of the people can survive against the machinery of impunity.
To every APC agent, observer, youth mobiliser, and ordinary voter:
Arrive early. Stay vigilant. Document everything. Report irregularities promptly and lawfully. Reject violence. Protect the ballot as you would protect your own future.
To every citizen of Osun, regardless of party: demand a process clean enough to be proud of. The world is watching. More importantly, history is recording.
Let the better candidate for the people of Osun emerge victorious through a free, fair, and transparent election.
May the will of the people speak without distortion.
#AMBO2026
#OsunDecides2026
Vote. Protect. Progress.
Good luck to Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji and the entire APC family. The struggle for credible leadership continues.