Accord has demanded the immediate removal of the Osun State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan, citing persistent violence and  killing of its members in the state with no one held accountable .

Accord said that its members are being killed and maimed ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.

Accord, the ruling party in Osun, said it has lost confidence in the ability and capacity of the Commissioner of Police to curb violence and politically motivated killings by political thugs who operate in broad daylight shooting sporadically across the state capital, Osogbo and Ede intimidating, harassing, killing and injuring residents particularly its members and supporters.

The party said it has reported the attacks to the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, but “sadly no arrest has been made let alone prosecuting these criminal elements terrorising the good people of Osun State which give them the audacity and impunity to continue their dastardly acts”.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Omorogbe, Accord said it has lost a number of “leaders, members and supporters in the state, and several others wounded in the APC orchestrated violence including attacks at the party’s state secretariat, Imole Campaign Council’s office and destruction of campaign billboards in the worst political violence in Osun State”.

“Our hearts still bleed over the gruesome killing of a 14-year-old boy identified as Ezekiel Olapade who was shot dead on Sunday, 21st June 2026, at Ilobu Community of Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State when political thugs associated with APC shot sporadically around the council’s secretariat when they sighted an Accord member wearing a party cap, in the process killed the boy while attempting to rescue his mother who fell into a ditch as they tried to escape the bullets,” the statement said.

Accord called on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General Department of State Services and the National Security Adviser to intervene and restore public safety and order in the state.

“Accordingly, the Inspector General of Police should as a matter of urgency transfer the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan for his inability to dispassionately discharge his duties of safeguarding lives and property in the state, and apprehending the known APC thugs perpetrating violence to face the full weight of the law,” it added.

“Politics is not a do-or-die affair. The political ambition of any electoral contestant does not worth the blood of fellow compatriots.

“Accord urges politicians to eschew politics of bitterness and brigandage that impedes the nation’s democracy and embrace issues-based campaigns, and allow the people to choose their governor peacefully. At the end, the ballot is stronger than the bullet.

“Any threat to democratic participation in the August 15 gubernatorial election in the state, is an attack on the nation’s democracy. It must be resisted by all lovers of representative governance.

“Accord will not be cowed by anti-democratic forces that want to destabilise its pro-people governance in Osun State. The party salutes the courage and political sagacity of its governor, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke for effectively piloting the affairs of the state in spite of provocations by reactionary forces to distract him.

“The good people of Osun State are in one accord to support Governor Adeleke’s transformative leadership. A vote for Accord is a vote for prosperity and good governance.”

Former presidential spokesperson and Arise TV anchor, Reuben Abati, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to explain to Nigerians why the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, allegedly served as the commission’s observer in the just concluded Ekiti State governorship election.

DAILY POST reports that the Edo APC Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, was captured in a viral video wearing a vest associated with INEC while allegedly serving as an accredited election observer.

The development has sparked controversies with concerned Nigerians accusing the electoral umpire of rigging the election in favour of the ruling party.

Reacting during the Morning Show Program on Tuesday, Abati questioned how Tenebe was accredited to serve as an INEC observer.

He said, “The APC chairman who was adorned in INEC accredited uniform, I probably think that is for fashion but the election observers are supposed to be non-partisan.

“They should be neutral and unbiased, that is why many of them are drawn from non-governmental organizations.

“But the APC chairman is a partisan person wearing an INEC uniform. That is the source of the controversy. INEC owes Nigerians an explanation.

“How did the uniform get to him? Who accredited him as an observer? Under what circumstances did he become an observer?”

A chieftain of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Seye Oladejo, has said the just-concluded governorship election in Ekiti State is a wake-up call to all politicians and political parties in Nigeria.

Oladejo said the election has shown that elections are won at the polling units through Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and not on social media.

Oladejo said the election was a reminder that while social media remains an important platform for political engagement, opinion moulding and information dissemination, it is not a substitute for grassroots political mobilisation, voter education and the painstaking task of earning the trust and confidence of the electorate.

In a statement he signed tagged, ‘Ekiti 2026: When the PVC Defeated Social Media Hype’, Oladejo said: “The outcome of the Ekiti State governorship election has once again reinforced a timeless lesson in democratic politics: elections are won at the polling units by voters armed with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), not on social media timelines dominated by hashtags and viral sentiments.

“The election serves as a fitting reminder that while social media remains an important platform for political engagement, opinion moulding, and information dissemination, it is not a substitute for grassroots political mobilisation, voter education, and the painstaking task of earning the trust and confidence of the electorate.

“For too long, there has been a growing tendency in our political environment to mistake digital popularity for electoral strength. A loud online presence, trending conversations, and coordinated social media campaigns may create an illusion of widespread support, but the ultimate test of political relevance lies in the ability to convert goodwill into actual votes.”

He noted that the just-concluded governorship election in Ekiti State has reinforced the believe that an average electorate is becoming independent-minded.

Oladejo said: “The Ekiti governorship election has once again demonstrated that the average Nigerian voter is discerning and increasingly independent-minded. The people evaluate candidates not merely on the basis of online narratives but on competence, credibility, track record, and their perceived capacity to address the pressing challenges confronting society.

“This election has also reaffirmed the enduring relevance of political structures and community engagement. Democracy is fundamentally a people-driven process that thrives on direct interaction, door-to-door campaigns, stakeholder consultations, and consistent engagement with the electorate. Political parties that neglect grassroots mobilisation in favour of social media grandstanding do so at their own peril.

“The lesson from Ekiti extends beyond the state’s boundaries. It is particularly instructive as political actors begin to intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections. The temptation to confuse digital activism with electoral supremacy must be resisted. Social media can amplify messages, shape narratives, and energise supporters, but it cannot replace the indispensable role of PVCs and active voter participation.

“The election result is therefore a triumph of democratic participation and a victory for citizens who exercised their civic responsibility peacefully and responsibly. It is a testament to the fact that democracy belongs to those who participate, not merely to those who comment from the sidelines.”

He insisted that the experience gathered from the Ekiti State governorship election would serve as a wakeup call for politicians and political parties ahead of the upcoming off-cycle elections.

“As we move closer to another electoral cycle, the Ekiti experience should serve as a wake-up call to politicians and political parties across the country. The road to electoral success remains what it has always been: building trust among the people, articulating credible programmes, maintaining an effective grassroots presence, and encouraging citizens to obtain and use their Permanent Voters Cards.

“Ultimately, the Ekiti State governorship election will be remembered not simply for who won and who lost, but for the powerful message it delivered to Nigeria’s political class-that in a democracy, the Permanent Voters Card remains more potent than social media hype. The ballot, not the hashtag, remains the true currency of political power,” he added.