Hundreds of women took to the streets of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Monday to protest alleged political violence, killings and police intimidation ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The protesters marched through major streets carrying placards and chanting songs against violence as political tensions rise across the state ahead of the poll.
Messages on their placards included “Stop Electoral Violence,” “We Want Ballots, Not Bullets,” “Election Is Not War,” “Vote, Don’t Fight,” and “Stop the Killings in Osun.”
One of the protest leaders, identified simply as Eniola, condemned the violence allegedly linked to political activities in the state. She said political disagreements should not be allowed to result in deaths, intimidation or destruction of property.
“Our children, husbands, brothers and sisters must not become casualties of political ambition. Elections come and go, but human lives cannot be replaced,” she said.
The women called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in what they described as growing security concerns in Osun and urged authorities to take steps to protect residents before, during and after the election.
They also called for the redeployment of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, citing what they described as concerns over perceived partisanship.
The protesters urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to provide equal protection for all political parties, candidates and their supporters, regardless of their affiliations.
They further called for investigations into reported cases of violence and other alleged unlawful conduct, with appropriate legal action against anyone found responsible.
The women said voters should be able to reach their polling units, cast their ballots freely and return home safely without intimidation, threats or fear of violence.
