Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, has criticised former President Olusegun Obasanjo, claiming his political influence no longer carries electoral weight ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Frank made the remarks in a statement issued on Friday while reacting to Obasanjo’s recent comments about the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

According to him, Obasanjo had developed a pattern of attacking Atiku whenever a general election approaches instead of promoting any preferred candidate.

He accused Obasanjo of repeatedly blaming Atiku for the failures of the administration they served in together, describing the former president’s interventions as a recurring election-year ritual.

Frank argued that Nigerians had become familiar with what he described as the former president’s recurring criticism of his former deputy, insisting that such attacks would not influence the outcome of the 2027 election.

“Your political value is whitewash and a ruse because any candidate you support has always been defeated at the polls, even in your state of Ogun,” Frank said.

He urged Obasanjo to openly campaign for any candidate of his choice instead of, according to him, repeatedly directing criticism at Atiku.

“Sell your candidate if you have one at all and refrain from allowing yourself to be used before the issue of Atiku becomes a nightmare that may eventually consume you,” he added.

Frank also challenged the former president to focus more on the performance of the current administration rather than making Atiku the centre of his political interventions.

“Atiku isn’t the problem of Nigeria right now and we dare you to criticize the current government like the way you cry about Atiku,” he stated.

He maintained that political leadership would ultimately be decided by Nigerians at the polls and not by the endorsement or opposition of any political figure.

“If it is destined for Atiku to become President, neither you nor anyone else can stop it,” Frank said.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has pledged that the Commission will take all necessary measures to avert violence during the Osun governorship election scheduled for August 15, emphasizing that no life should be sacrificed for political ambitions.

Amupitan made this statement during a courtesy visit to the Ataoja of Osogbo, HRM Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, at his palace on Friday.

While addressing the monarch and his chiefs, the INEC Chairman highlighted that ensuring security is a primary concern for the Commission.

He said, “We do not desire violence. The life of every Osun citizen is too valuable to be lost merely for the sake of an election for the governorship position. Thus, we are deeply concerned as a Commission.

“It is a matter of great importance to us. We want to ensure that no one loses their life due to an election in Osun.”

He disclosed that INEC has collaborated with the police, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, and Service Chiefs to guarantee a special security deployment to Osun State.

He also pointed out the issue of misleading videos being circulated as a strategy to discourage voter participation, urging citizens to ignore such misinformation.

Amupitan mentioned that the peace accord signed with all political parties on Wednesday aims to ensure that “the determination of who governs this state will not be made through violence, but rather through the will of the people of Osun State.”

He further announced that a mock accreditation exercise will take place on Friday in selected local governments across the three senatorial districts, including Osogbo in Osun Central, to test INEC’s equipment in preparation for the upcoming election.

“As an institution, we are dedicated to ensuring that this goal is realized. The citizens of Osun State will have the chance to choose their leaders,” he stated.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned Supervisory Presiding Officers, SPOs, and transport unions against partisanship.

It directed them to ensure the timely deployment of personnel and election materials across the state.

The warning is coming ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, issued the directives on Friday during separate engagements in Osogbo as part of his readiness assessment tour ahead of the off-cycle governorship election.

Addressing leaders of transport unions at the INEC State Office, Amupitan said the Commission expected complete neutrality from all transport providers engaged for the election, stressing that vehicles contracted for the exercise would operate strictly under INEC’s supervision.

He said the commission had entrusted the unions with election logistics because of their operational capacity, but warned that any display of political allegiance by drivers or transport operators would not be tolerated during the electoral process.

“The moment we engage you for the purpose of this election, we are supposed to own your fleet, and therefore use it in accordance with our regulations.

“We are not supposed to take sides with anyone,” Amupitan said.

The INEC Chairman also emphasised the importance of punctual logistics, directing that vehicles should be available before Registration Area Centres, RACs, become operational at noon on the eve of the election. 

He added that election personnel and materials must arrive at polling units by 7.30 a.m. to enable voting to commence at 8.30 a.m. as scheduled.

According to him, the Commission has introduced a real-time monitoring dashboard to track the opening of polling units nationwide, noting that delays caused by vehicle breakdowns or driver unavailability would not be accepted. 

He added that Osun’s 30 local government areas, 322 registration areas and 3,763 polling units would require efficient logistics, particularly in difficult terrains.

The INEC Chairman while addressing Supervisory Presiding Officers undergoing training at Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, warned them against compromising the integrity of the electoral process by yielding to pressure from politicians.

He instructed the officers to comply strictly with the Commission’s operational manuals, insisting that election materials must not be delayed, diverted or released in instalments during the exercise.

“No delay of materials on your part, no diversion of materials, and please don’t allow politicians to use you,” Amupitan told the trainees, describing the Osun governorship poll as the final off-cycle election before the 2027 general elections and one that would attract nationwide attention.

Responding on behalf of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, the union’s Head of Organisation, Olayioye Adesina, assured INEC that adequate measures had been put in place to guarantee smooth logistics throughout the election despite the union’s internal leadership disputes.

Adesina said the National Executive of the union had assumed responsibility for coordinating the Osun assignment to avoid allegations of factional influence. 

He added that only roadworthy, unbranded vehicles would be deployed, while drivers and coordinators had undergone sensitisation on INEC’s operational guidelines in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps.

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