From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo

The Osun Grassroots Movement (OGM) yesterday raised alarm over ongoing secret posting of operatives of the All Progressive Congress(APC) to critical departments of the electoral commission ahead of the August 15 elections.

In a statement issued in Osogbo by the Convener, Osun Grassroot Movement, Adetunji David, the group alleged that key operational departments of the INEC are being populated with APC agents while general mass transfer is ongoing to subvert the will of Osun voters.

Warning INEC leadership of tough resistance against any ploy to rig Osun polls, the group declared that Osun towns and villages will be a graveyard for any electoral official who tamper with Osun votes on August 15.

“We call on INEC leadership to beware of ongoing shenanigans and stop any rigging plot because death awaits any electoral bandits who attempt to rig Osun elections. No election riggers will leave Osun alive”, the group warned in the statement.

‎”We issue the above warning because it has come to our notice, through credible findings, that there are ongoing clandestine efforts by elements within the APC to orchestrate the transfer of key officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner.

“There are also indications of targeted intimidation and administrative pressure on principled electoral officers who have refused to compromise professional standards. Such individuals are allegedly being earmarked for redeployment out of the state to create an enabling environment for electoral manipulation.

‎”Furthermore, recent developments within the Commission, including changes in strategic departments such as the ICT directorate, raise serious questions about the timing, intent, and potential implications for electoral transparency. Reports of inducements and promises of preferential treatment to certain officials further compound these concerns.

“These actions, if left unchecked, constitute a grave threat to democratic consolidation, electoral credibility, and public trust in governance. The manipulation of institutional structures for partisan advantage undermines the rule of law and erodes the foundational principles of free, fair, and credible elections”.

‎In light of the above, the Osun Grassroots Movement calls on all relevant authorities, including electoral oversight bodies, civil society organizations, and the international community, to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding the sanctity of the electoral process.

“We urge that all institutions entrusted with electoral responsibilities uphold the highest standards of neutrality, transparency, and accountability.

‎”We will resist any attempt to disenfranchise Osun people through underhand political maneuvers. We will not wait for the electoral crimes to be committed on August 15. We will stop them before electoral bandits kidnapped our democracy”, the group warmed.

From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has warned the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to leave President Bola Tinubu out of its woes.

Oyintiloye, who noted accusing fingers pointed at Tinubu over the matter as ‘disturbing and inaccurate,’ said the delisted ADC leadership must be courageous enough to tell Nigerians the truth, rather than tag Tinubu as being responsible for the crisis within the party.

The APC chieftain made this statement while speaking with journalists in Osogbo.

He noted that Tinubu is the President, not a court of law that directed the ADC to revert to its pre-merger executives, pending the determination of a case at the Federal High Court, instituted by one of its members.

“I will advise the ADC to put its house in order and stop blaming Tinubu for its crisis.

“The President is a true democrat and does not need to destabilise any party to secure re-election in 2027.

“Tinubu is not a member of the Court of Appeal that delivered the judgment, nor does he have the time to poke his nose into unnecessary political matters.

“If the ADC is looking for anyone to blame, targeting Tinubu is a miscalculated move,” he said.

Oyintiloye further stated that the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any faction of the ADC until all litigations are resolved was neither its doing nor Tinubu’s fault, but a result of a court ruling.

“My candid advice to the ADC is to look inward and resolve its internal crisis rather than engaging in a blame game,” he added.

He counseled politicians to play by the rules and ensure that they don’t engage in acts that may later become their albatross, saying improved consciousness among politicians of today will make them challenge every illegality before court.

According to him, resorting to blackmail will not save ADC, and advised the party to return to the drawing board and strategize, if it wants Nigerians to recognize it as a force within the nation’s political space.

Addressing allegations that Nigeria is drifting toward a one-party system, Oyintiloye maintained that there are 21 recognised political parties registered by INEC.

“We have 21 registered political parties in the country, and the majority—if not all—will participate in the 2027 elections.

“With these 21 political parties, including the ADC, how can the country be described as a one-party state?

“Opposition leaders should stop spreading false and unsubstantiated information about the 2027 general elections and focus on resolving their internal crises,” he said.

Oyintiloye added that no amount of campaign calumny would prevent the President from securing a landslide victory in the 2027 elections.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday declared that the absence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on the ballot will not affect the credibility of the 2027 election.

The party made the assertion in a statement released by its spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, in response to concerns raised by a faction within the ADC over alleged threats to its participation in the polls.

According to the APC, while political diversity is essential in a democracy, adherence to legal frameworks and established procedures must take precedence in the electoral process.

“Democracy operates on the basis of laws and institutional processes, not sentiment, entitlement, or alarmist narratives,” the statement said.

The party maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, functions within the confines of the law and that all political parties are required to meet stipulated guidelines.

It emphasised that compliance with electoral regulations is mandatory, noting that any party that fails to meet the requirements must accept the consequences of its actions.

Drawing from its own experience, the APC recalled its exclusion from elections in Zamfara and Rivers states during the 2019 general elections due to legal and procedural lapses, stressing that no party is immune from the enforcement of electoral rules.

The ruling party further accused sections of the opposition of deflecting responsibility, attributing the ADC’s situation to internal divisions and organisational shortcomings.

“It is misleading for a factionalised opposition party to shift blame and portray the ruling party as responsible for challenges that are clearly self-inflicted,” the statement added.

The APC argued that internal disarray and what it described as procedural missteps have undermined the ADC’s credibility, reiterating that the electoral process is not dependent on any single political party.

“The absence of any party from the ballot due to non-compliance does not threaten the democratic system,” it said.

The party urged political organisations to prioritise internal cohesion and compliance with electoral laws rather than resorting to public complaints.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to credible elections and called on all stakeholders to uphold democratic values and strengthen public trust in the nation’s electoral system.