Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has said no one will be able to rig or steal the August 15 governorship election in the state.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Oke-Ila, Ifedayo Local Government Area, Adeleke told supporters that every vote would count and urged residents to protect their ballots.

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the people were ready to defend their votes.

“I heard some politicians vowing to steal the votes. Where and how? Osun votes are untouchable. This is Osun State, the heart of Yoruba nation. Nobody can rig us out here,” Adeleke said.

He added, “The people’s votes will be defended. Their will on August 15 will become a reality.”

The governor also said, “Osun people are not scared. Osun people are not cowards. They will vote and defend their votes.”

Adeleke said his administration’s achievements would help secure victory, adding, “Our records speak for us.”

Confrontation among the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta Central ended abruptly on Saturday at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State.

According to eyewitness accounts, the meeting descended into chaos as some attendees allegedly engaged in physical altercations, with chairs and other objects reportedly thrown during the incident.

Several people, especially party members, were said to have sustained injuries.

Among those reportedly affected was one of the Delta State Government’s Senior Special Assistants, who appeared in widely shared videos leaving the venue during the disturbance.

Sources familiar with the meeting claimed the confrontation may have been linked to disagreements among factions within the party.

Some accounts alleged that supporters associated with one of the Delta State commissioners, a founding member, and individuals linked to the governor’s Senior Special Assistant, who joined the party last year, were involved.

The founding members were said to have been schemed out of party benefits by the new members, leading to disagreements.

The leaders were said to have hurriedly abandoned the meeting with their security aides for safety, while goods were reportedly vandalised by those who started the disagreement.

The incident has generated public discussion about internal party cohesion and the conduct of political gatherings in the state.

Observers say peaceful dialogue and adherence to democratic principles are essential for maintaining public confidence in political institutions.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Delta State Government, the state chapter of the APC, nor the Nigeria Police Force had issued a detailed official account of the incident.

Stakeholders have called for a thorough investigation to establish the facts surrounding the disruption and ensure that anyone found responsible for any unlawful conduct is held accountable in accordance with the law.

The governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and Senator Shehu Buba Umar, have engaged in a war of words over comments questioning the senator’s source of funds.

The disagreement followed remarks reportedly made by Abubakar during a political meeting, where he allegedly said the source of funds being used by Shehu Buba for various activities was “questionable.”

The comments have since generated reactions on social media.

Responding, Buba, who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District in the Senate, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, accusing the APC governorship candidate of making defamatory statements capable of damaging his reputation.

In the six-page petition filed through his lawyers, the senator urged the police to invite Abubakar for questioning over what he described as “damaging, defamatory, injurious, libellous and inflammatory remarks.”

The petition read in part, “The suspect made several seriously damaging, defamatory, injurious, libellous and inflammatory remarks concerning our client, including the statement that our client’s source of wealth with which he has been doing so many things is questionable.”

The lawyers argued that the alleged remarks amounted to “a deliberate, calculated and malicious act of cyberstalking and cyber-defamation” intended to portray the senator in a bad light ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

They gave the police seven days to invite Abubakar for questioning or face legal action.

Reacting to the petition, the secretary of Abubakar’s legal team, Muhammad AlKasim, said the APC candidate merely exercised his constitutional right to freedom of expression by demanding transparency.

He cited Sections 39 and 45 of the Constitution, saying, “Every Nigerian has the right to express their opinion, thoughts and feelings without any interference.”

AlKasim expressed confidence that the police would handle the matter professionally, urging Abubakar’s supporters to remain calm while the complaint is being investigated.

He also dismissed the allegation of defamation, arguing that Abubakar did not specifically mention Senator Shehu Buba Umar.

“The statement made by Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, is clear. He mentioned ‘Shehu’, which must be accompanied by a second name. One cannot claim a single name for him. Mentioning ‘Shehu’ cannot constitute defamation because the name Shehu is not specific. There are many Shehus. Why is he the one petitioning?” AlKasim said.