Osun: Opposition members, youth leaders, others stage confidence vote rally at INEC

Thousands of members of opposition political parties, ethnic youth organisations and civil society groups, Friday, staged a solidarity and confidence vote rally following the recently concluded Osunstate governorship election.

The groups, comprising opposition political parties, the Ethnic Youth Leaders of Nigeria, including the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Ohanaeze Youth Movement, Middle Belt Youth Forum and Oduduwa Consultative Youth Movement, the PBAT Door-2-Door Movement and the African Centre for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR), passed a unanimous vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, the Prof. Joash Amupitan-led INEC and the heads of Nigeria’s security agencies.

The groups described the Osun State governorship election as a significant victory for democracy and a demonstration of the country’s growing commitment to credible, peaceful and transparent elections.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, National Chairman of the Action Peoples Party (APP), High Chief Uchenna Nnadi, commended INEC, its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, President Tinubu, the security agencies and the people of Osun State for their respective roles in ensuring a peaceful electoral process.

Nnadi said the outcome of the election had provided renewed confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions, stressing that the conduct of the poll demonstrated that electoral stakeholders could work together to strengthen democracy.

He said the groups were particularly encouraged by what they described as the professionalism displayed by INEC and security personnel before, during and after the election.

The rally also praised President Tinubu for providing the political environment for democratic institutions to operate independently, while urging Nigerians and political actors to continue to support electoral reforms and peaceful democratic participation.

The ethnic youth leaders said their confidence vote was not merely a political endorsement but a recognition of what they described as institutional efforts to deepen Nigeria’s democratic process.

They urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to accept electoral outcomes peacefully and pursue grievances through established legal channels.

The groups further called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and constructive in protecting the country’s democratic institutions, describing credible elections as a collective responsibility requiring the cooperation of INEC, political parties, security agencies, civil society and citizens.

They maintained that the Osun State election should serve as a reference point for future elections and called for sustained improvements in voter participation, electoral technology, transparency and security.

The rally ended with the groups reiterating their vote of confidence in President Tinubu, the Prof. Amupitan-led INEC, the nation’s security agencies and the people of Osun State for what they described as their contributions to a peaceful and credible electoral process.