The lawmaker representing Osun East in the Senate, Senator Adenigba Fadahunsi, has demanded a thorough probe of incidents of violence that occurred at the venue of the Continuous Voters Registration exercise in Ilesa and Ikinrun, Osun State.
This was contained in a statement signed on behalf of the lawmaker by his media aide, Sam Segun-Progress, obtained in Osogbo on Friday.
The online registration of the CVR preparatory to the August 8, 2026, governorship poll in the state had progressed smoothly in the state, as Osun recorded a top table figure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission announced that Osun recorded a total of 393,269 in the online registration after the one-week exercise, which placed the state on the top of the chart.
But in two separate instances, violence had rocked the second phase of the exercise involving data capturing at the INEC local government offices in Ikinrun and Ilesa.
During the Ilesa incident, which occurred on Tuesday, hoodlums reportedly attacked some people at a registration centre.
A similar occurrence was also recorded in Ikinrun, when two people were reportedly injured by suspected political thugs.
Reacting to the development, Fadahunsi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, called on politicians and other stakeholders to ensure violence is not allowed to mar the CVR exercise in the state.
The lawmaker said, “The aggression and violence some politicians are introducing into the registration process should be arrested and nipped in the bud immediately to ensure the current progress is recorded in the exercise is not truncated.
“It is barbaric and totally uncalled for. Why should anyone encourage violence during voters’ registration? When we should be encouraging more people to come out and register, some people are using hoodlums to attack innocent residents and cause chaos.
“I urge stakeholders to rise up and speak against this evil and those behind it. Beyond that, we should all work hard to stop the perpetrators from disrupting our collective gains as a state in the Continuous Voter Registration.
“Security agents must double their efforts and ensure the exercise continues without fear of molestation.”
In the wake of the hostilities at the CVR venue, the Osun State chapter of the APC alleged that its members were attacked by suspected hoodlums working for the People’s Democratic Party in Ikirun at the venue of the exercise.
However, the leadership of the PDP in the state dismissed the APC’s allegations, saying the party was in the habit of perpetrating crimes and hiding behind police cover to escape justice.
The APC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, obtained in Osogbo, Osun State, condemned the attack and called on security agencies to investigate and bring those involved to face the consequences of their actions.
The opposition party alleged that the attack occurred at the Ifelodun Local Government office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, in Ikirun, where a man known as “One Million Gang” and one Hassan assaulted APC Ward 1 Councillor, Mr. Taiwo Kazeem, and another APC member, Oladimeji Olamilekan, with an axe.
According to the APC, it was the intervention of registrants at the INEC office that prevented the victims from being killed by the PDP hoodlums.
The APC stated, “We condemn the needless attacks on our members at the INEC office by PDP thugs who were suspiciously acting on orders.
“We appeal to the state Commissioner of Police to, without further delay, arrest, investigate, and arraign the suspects to serve as a deterrent to other notorious political thugs across the state.”
In response, the PDP, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, stated, “We wish to categorically state that the APC must desist from dragging the Nigeria Police Force into partisan politics.
“Turning the police into an appendage of their already sinking party is not only alien to the practice of constitutional democracy but also a dangerous trend capable of pushing the resilient and peace-loving people of Osun State to the wall.”
The party called on the state police command to rise above manipulation and safeguard its integrity, warning that any attempt to compromise the neutrality of the police in the ongoing CVR exercise may lead to anarchy.
“We urge the police to maintain professionalism, protect all citizens without bias, and resist being used as a willing tool for political persecution.
“The people of Osun are watching. The world is watching. And history will not be kind to those who place partisan interest above the peace and stability of our dear state,” the party stated.
