Ebenezer Adurokiya and Micheal Chukwuebuka Reporting From Osogbo
A coalition of over 40 civil society organisations (CSOs) has declared that its pre-election conference is a collective initiative, not the vision of a single individual, as it gears up to monitor the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The group, operating under a unified umbrella, stated its intention to provide a comprehensive account to the electorate, ensuring that the voice of the people is both heard and defended.
“We came together as a group, under one umbrella on behalf of over 40 organisations,” said Comrade Nwoke Fidelis during a World Press Conference held by the coalition on Friday at the state’s NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo. “The pre-election conference that we had now is not just one person’s idea,” he emphasised, highlighting the collaborative nature of the effort.
The coalition has outlined a dual mandate for the electoral process. Comrade Fidelis explained that the group intends to report back to the people of Osun State, affirming that their votes carried significant weight. “We intend to report back to Osun people, the electorate that yes, their votes actually spoke,” he stated.
However, the coalition has also served notice that it will not hesitate to hold the electoral process accountable.
Should the proceedings be marred by malpractice, the group is prepared to report its findings to the wider public. “And when it doesn’t happen the way we expected, we will also come back to tell Nigerians that this election has a lot of irregularities and malpractices,” Comrade Fidelis added, underscoring the group’s commitment to transparency and integrity in the democratic process .
The coalition remains steadfast in its mission to serve as a watchdog, ensuring that the will of the Osun electorate is respected and protected throughout the 2026 election cycle.
