The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Tuesday tasked the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, with conducting the upcoming Osun governorship poll with fairness, noting it will hold a mirror to what Nigerians should expect at the 2027 general elections.

“This election is like a watershed. It’s like an election that is a mirror to the general election,” Mr Ogunwusi told the election commission chief, urging him to discharge his duties with all diligence and fairness.

“Please come to our aid. Be a very just umpire. Be a very fair umpire. Let the people decide what they want. Do not let anybody interfere with anything,” he added.

Mr Amupitan visited the monarch on Tuesday at his palace, where Mr Ogunwusi admitted the political tension in the state had reached palpable highs even as the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, battles the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO.

The Ooni said, “The political tension in Osun is getting unbearable for us. It is really, really worrisome,” said the Ooni on Tuesday. “We do not want to rock the boat. We want elections to come very freely and very fairly and very justly. Please, please and please, you are the umpire; douse the tension.

“You are the umpire to bring it down and make sure everything is right. I know that Mr President in Abuja will not help you conduct the election. He has provided every means for you to do your job, and we believe in you. That’s why all eyes are on you. Like you have said, this election is like a watershed. It’s like an election that is a mirror to the general election.”

The traditional ruler urged peace and caution, stressing that the well-being of the people should be a priority over any candidate’s political ambition.

“We just occupy the throne of our forebears. We don’t have any year or tenure limits. But we have to be very just, fair and right in everything we do. The good, the bad and the ugly belong to us. Both politicians from these two sides, the opposition side and the one in the office right now, we should embrace them and tell them the truth all the time. That it is very important for them to focus on the well-being and also do what is just, fair and right,” he said.

Mr Amupitan echoed the Ooni’s sentiments, urging politicians not to view the polls as a “do or die affair.” 

“The elections should be about ideology and ideas and not about rancour or acrimony or a do-or-die affair,” Mr Amupitan said. “So we appeal to our royal fathers to talk to the people. Even if you are going to use town-criers to cry to our people, tell them that the innocent blood of one person is not worth a governorship election.”

“So, nobody should be killed, threatened or embarrassed just because of an election that will take place on a particular day. That day will come and will go, and by God’s grace, we’ll all be happy with what will happen on the 15th of August, 2026,” he added.