Amnesty International Nigeria’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, has warned of widespread voter apathy in the upcoming Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026, citing escalating political violence and incendiary rhetoric from public officials.
Speaking on Channels Television’s “Sunrise Daily” programme on Thursday, Sanusi said the threat to life is already keeping potential voters away from polling units. “Those who love their lives and want to live will definitely avoid polling units on Saturday,” he said, linking the prediction to a climate of intimidation that has overtaken the pre-election period.
Sanusi pointed directly to remarks made by Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly. A widely circulated video showed the lawmaker urging his supporters to kill any member of the Accord Party they encounter ahead of the governorship contest. The comment, Sanusi said, is emblematic of a broader pattern of abuse.
“We should expect voter apathy because the unfortunate remarks of that unfortunate senator and many other incidents — 73 incidents recorded between May and June — in the build-up to the election will discourage a lot of people,” Sanusi said. “This is not because they don’t want to vote; it’s because they want to live. They don’t want anybody to kill them because they decided to vote for a different political party.”
The rights advocate warned that the crisis extends beyond Osun. He described voter turnout in Nigeria’s last presidential election as “awful,” adding that such levels of disengagement would be unacceptable in other democracies. “We have to have the spirit of accepting defeat and welcoming victory,” he said.
The 73 documented incidents between May and June include assaults, threats, and property destruction linked to political rivalries. Civil society groups have called on security agencies to investigate the senator’s remarks and protect citizens’ right to vote without fear.
Analysts say the situation underscores a recurring challenge in Nigerian Elections: the use of violence and hate speech to suppress participation. With the election still months away, the onus is on authorities to de-escalate tensions and ensure accountability for incitement.
Sanusi’s remarks amplify growing concern that without decisive intervention, the Osun election could record historically low turnout — not from apathy, but from fear.
