The Concerned Leadership of Political Parties, CLPP, comprising the Action People’s Party, APP, Young Progressives Party, YPP, Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Liberation Peoples Party, LPP, Young Progressives, YP, and other political parties, has expressed concern over the integrity of the forthcoming Osun State governorship election scheduled for 15 August 2026.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the coalition through its spokesperson, Oluseye Titus Odesola, said it was alarmed by what it described as recent developments capable of undermining the credibility of the governorship poll, particularly regarding the transportation of election materials and the neutrality of election logistics.

The group alleged that the recent forceful takeover of motor parks across Osun State could be politically motivated and warned that such actions might affect the movement of election materials during the poll.

According to the coalition, “We are deeply troubled by the recent forceful and politically motivated takeover of motor parks across the state. This action signals a deliberate attempt to compromise the electoral process by diverting election materials.”

It called on democracy advocates, civil society organisations, labour unions and international election observers to closely monitor developments in Osun State ahead of the election.

The CLPP stated, “An injury to democracy in Osun is an injury to democracy in Nigeria. We urge stakeholders to pay close attention to events leading to the governorship election.”

The coalition also appealed to the Osun State Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, to introduce a transparent and tamper-free system for transporting sensitive and non-sensitive election materials.

According to the group, “relying on a transport system it considers compromised could expose election materials to risks, including delayed deployment, theft of ballot papers and result sheets, and other forms of interference capable of affecting the outcome of the election”.

The political parties maintained that the credibility of the election would depend largely on the impartial conduct of the REC and strict compliance with electoral guidelines throughout the electoral process.

They identified key areas requiring transparency to include election monitoring, the deployment of electronic voting technology and other advanced systems, as well as the use of neutral transport arrangements for election logistics.

“The deployment of electronic voting machines and other advanced systems must be handled with integrity to prevent manipulation or technical failures that could compromise results. Election monitoring must remain free from political interference,” the coalition stated.

The CLPP urged all stakeholders to work towards safeguarding the electoral process, insisting that the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election should proceed as scheduled and that every valid vote must count.

Many members and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from across Adamawa State gathered in Yola on Wednesday and staged a street protest over growing rumours of plans to substitute the party’s governorship candidate, Omar Suleiman.

The candidate and his supporters have, for the past couple of weeks, faced speculation that he would be replaced, first by a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulrahman Haske, and more recently by another politician, Modibbo Tukur.

In reaction to the continued tension over the alleged substitution plan, party members mobilised by a group, Frontier Movement 774, marched through the streets of Yola, urging an end to any move to replace Omar Suleiman, popularly known as Omarana.

The protesters converged in the early hours of the day and marched through major streets, displaying placards with messages including ‘Don’t Forcefully Remove our Candidate’, ‘Respect Party Democracy’, ‘Omarana Is the People’s Choice’, ‘No to Candidate Substitution’, and ‘No Removal, No Substitution’.

The protesters ended their march at the ADC state secretariat in Jimeta, where some of their leaders addressed the gathering.

The Chairman of Frontier Movement 774, Madu Umar, said ordinary members of the ADC were unhappy that the party’s duly elected governorship candidate had been denied peace of mind by rumours of a possible substitution.

He said the protest was aimed at drawing the attention of the party leadership at both state and national levels to the dangers of attempting to replace a candidate already chosen through the party’s established process.

Also speaking, one of the protest leaders, Mrs Damaris Yalawa, said, “Omarana is the one we chose. We don’t know what some people are up to; but we know that it is Omarana that we elected as our candidate for 2027 and on him we insist.”

Two other protest leaders also spoke at the ADC secretariat, with some appealing to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to intervene. However, none of them openly accused Atiku of being involved in the alleged move.

This differs from unconfirmed street speculation suggesting that Atiku may not be unaware of behind-the-scenes efforts to alter the ADC governorship candidacy in his home state.

Wednesday’s protest in Yola came barely 24 hours after an ADC stalwart warned of serious consequences if the party’s candidate was changed in the manner being alleged.

The stalwart, Suleiman Adamu Jimeta, said the reported plan to bring in Tukur Modibbo, with some party stakeholders allegedly supporting the move, should be disregarded, as no such decision had been communicated through any recognised channel.

He described the rumoured move as a recipe for confusion and internal division, warning that it could significantly weaken the party’s chances in next year’s elections.

Mixed reactions are trailing the announcement by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, that he has joined the Rainbow Coalition, a political movement founded by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

DAILY POST reported that the governor announced the development on Wednesday during the foundation-laying ceremony of the RIVEN Medical Industries Project in Rumuosi, Port Harcourt.

The governor, who appealed to his supporters to vote all candidates affiliated with the coalition, confirmed that he has returned to Wike’s political family.

“I am supporting President Tinubu for the Presidency and OK Chinda to be the next Governor of Rivers State.

“I am part of the Rainbow Coalition, and I’m back to my political family,” Fubara said.

Addressing the gathering, Fubara urged all residents and political stakeholders across Rivers State to sheath their swords and end the prolonged political crisis in the state

He urged them to set aside political differences, and back his decision in the interest of long-term peace and socio-economic development.

However, the development did not sit well with some of his supporters. While some welcomed his decision, others regretted supporting the governor.

Here are some of the reactions from X

@jointrd44: Fubara knows pretty well what will happen to him when he leaves office in 2027. It is only wise to support Wike coalition.

@fuji_xud: He should have rejected coming back than this shameful outing.

@ChiefObi: Wike’s political group? Never seen a coward like Sim in my life.

@aoidogwu1309: That’s life for you. Those opportunistic people who enabled him on a collision course against Wike have all left him behind today. Sad life!

@Barnny_summy: Fubara has terminated his political career. History will remember. Very shameful.

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