Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Osun State voters came prepared to protect their votes and prevent alleged manipulation during the collation of results in Saturday's governorship election, media personalities Oseni Rufai and Dele Farotimi have said, hailing the vigilance of the electorate as a critical factor in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process. Their comments came as the Independent National Electoral Commission concluded the collation of results from the 30 local government areas of the state, with Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party emerging victorious with 511,067 votes, defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who polled 444,815 votes.
Farotimi, a human rights lawyer and activist, made the observation in a post on his X handle on Sunday while commenting on the participation of Nigerian celebrities in the election. He said the involvement of celebrities in the electoral process demonstrated the influence they could wield in shaping public discourse and encouraging civic participation. According to him, celebrities have significant platforms and should not remain silent when important national issues are at stake. “Voltrons will not save Nigeria, but the choice to be silent when you have a voice, is a choice to be aligned with evil,” Farotimi wrote. The reference to "Voltrons" – a nod to the popular fictional superhero robot – underscored his argument that real change depends not on mythical saviours but on ordinary people exercising their rights and responsibilities.
Commenting on Afrobeats superstar Davido's involvement in the Osun election, Farotimi acknowledged that the singer's participation might have been motivated by interests beyond altruism – Davido is the nephew of Governor Adeleke and had campaigned vigorously for his uncle's re-election – but nonetheless demonstrated the influence celebrities could have on political issues. “Davido's involvement in the Osun election is anything but altruistic, BUT it does prove the point: Nigerian celebrities have major voices,” he said. His remarks highlighted the growing role of public figures in shaping political discourse, even as he cautioned against blind reliance on celebrity endorsements as a substitute for genuine civic engagement.
Also reacting to the conduct of the election, Rufai, the Arise Television anchor, in a post on his X handle on Sunday, said the vigilance of voters in Osun had helped prevent manipulation during the collation process. He noted that the collation stage remained particularly important because of the potential for electoral malpractice. “Most elections are rigged at the collation centers,” Rufai wrote. He added: “The Osun people came prepared and ensured that didn't happen.” His comments echoed a concern that has been repeatedly raised by election observers and civil society organisations: that while voting day may proceed peacefully, the real battle for the integrity of the vote often takes place behind closed doors, where results are tabulated and declared.
The Osun governorship election, which featured 15 candidates, was conducted across 3,763 polling units on Saturday, August 15, 2026. Despite reports of isolated violence, technical glitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and allegations of vote-buying, the electoral process was largely peaceful, with voters demonstrating a high level of civic awareness and determination to protect their ballots. The European Union Election Observation Hub reported 323 electoral offences and 38 security incidents, with 103 cases involving alleged vote trading, but the overall conduct of the election was widely praised by observers.
The vigilance of Osun voters was particularly evident during the collation of results, where party agents and community members maintained a watchful presence, ensuring that the figures announced at each level corresponded with the results from the polling units. This grassroots oversight, combined with the deployment of technology such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, helped to build confidence in the transparency of the process.
Rufai and Farotimi's observations have struck a chord with many Nigerians who have grown weary of electoral manipulation and the sense that their votes do not count. Their comments have also sparked a broader conversation about the role of celebrities in politics, the importance of civic vigilance, and the need for citizens to remain engaged beyond election day. As one social media user put it, "The people of Osun have shown that when voters are awake, rigging becomes impossible."
The election outcome – a decisive victory for Governor Adeleke, who won 19 of the 30 local government areas – has been interpreted as a rejection of federal might and a testament to the power of the ballot. But for Rufai and Farotimi, the real story is not just who won, but how the people of Osun refused to be silenced. In a country where elections have often been marred by manipulation and violence, the vigilance of Osun voters offers a glimmer of hope that democracy, however imperfect, can still thrive when citizens refuse to look away. As Farotimi aptly noted, silence in the face of injustice is a choice. In Osun, the people chose to speak.
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