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Osun LG Election: JDPMC withdraws its Observers from the election, laments irregularities.

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NOTICE OF DISENGAGEMENT FROM OBSERVATION OF THE FEBRUARY 22, 2025,
OSUN 2025 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION


CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF OSOGBO
JUSTICE DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE MAKERS CENTRE (JDPMC) OSOGBO
February 22, 2025


JDPMC as an organization that advances the social doctrines of the Catholic Church and is thus
committed to advocating for democracy and electoral integrity, has since the announcement of the
Notice of Election by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) in February 2024
working closely with all election stakeholders including OSSIEC, INEC Osun State, Inter Party
Advisory Council (IPAC), the Law Enforcement Agencies especially the Nigerian Police Force, Civil
Society organizations, faith-based organizations and the entire citizenry to ensure a free, fair,
transparent and credible Local Government election on February 22, 2025.


The organization has since provided avenue of dialogue for stakeholders through stakeholders
dialogue forums involving INEC, OSSIEC, the law enforcement agencies, the media, PWDs and
CSOs, conducted series of advocacy to OSSIEC, Nigerian Police Force and IPAC, supported the
training of OSSIEC, carried out series of voter education through the media and provided radio airtime
for youths and women contestants across all political parties, and organized avenues for OSSIEC to
enlighten the public to ensure a peaceful and participatory election. JDPMC hereby commends all the
above-mentioned stakeholders for the active collaboration and participation of these stakeholders in all
the remote pre-election activities it organized for a free, fair, transparent and credible election in all the
activities between February 2024 up till February 8, 2025, when JDPMC met with the executive of
IPAC. Since the ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting that sat in Akure on February 10, 2025, JDPMC faced
extreme difficulties in furtherance of its pre-election activities as OSSIEC had become less engaging
and accessible ever since. This frustrated efforts to get very useful information about the election for
further engagement with stakeholders and the citizenry ahead of the election. With other consequent
developments from the court’s ruling such as incidents of violent bloodshed, lawlessness,
politicization of court ruling among others since February 17, 2025, JDPMC began to observe fast
degeneration of confidence in the entire process in many stakeholders. While the organization
continued to mobilize for the restoration of peace, order and cooperation among stakeholders, it
proceeded with all preparatory activities including deployment of observers to various polling units on
February 21, 2025.


However, JDPMC observed that since the “legal lock jam” resulting from the directives of the
Attorney General of the federation and order of the High Court that sat in Ilesa on February 21, 2025,
the Nigerian Police Force and OSSIEC openly disagree on the conduct of the Osun Local Government
election on this 22nd day of February 2025. While the Osun State government and OSSIEC have
decided that the election holds, the Nigerian Police Force through the Force Public relation Officer
ACP Muyiwa Adejobi in a statement issued on February 21, 2025 “strongly advised” the Osun state
government to suspend the election.

For JDPMC, this disagreement between the two major pillars of a peaceful, transparent and credible
election, namely the Election Management Body and the Law Enforcement Agency, makes it
impossible for the organization to undertake a credible election observation exercise in strict
adherence to its principles based on best practice. JDPMC hereby withdraws all its observers from the
various polling units with immediate effects and so announces its discontinuation of observing the
February 22, 2025, Osun Local Government election. The organization regrets this unfortunate but
inevitable development.


It must be emphasized that this does not in any way have the implication that the organization agrees
with any of the interpretation of the contested judgement of the appellate court. The decision is strictly
based on the disagreement between the police and OSSIEC on the conduct of the election which for us
cannot guarantee the atmosphere required for the conduct and observation of a credible election. The
evident absence of the security agents IN the polling units and the non-enforcement of curfew directed
by the state government for the conduct of the election strongly reinforced our understanding of the
statement of the Nigerian Police PRO given that we sought without success for the interpretation of
the statement without success from the authorities of the Nigerian Police Force Osun State Command.


The organization thanks all partners who offered funding and technical support, and enriched its
strategy through knowledge sharing namely, Misereor Germany, EU-SDGN Phase II project, YIAGA
Africa and Kimpact Development Initiative. Appreciations also to all the major stakeholders: INEC,
OSSIEC, IPAC and the security agencies in Osun state for the outstanding cooperation that
characterized the fruitful remote pre-election activities. Above all, the organization wishes to
appreciate the bishop, the priests and religious and the lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo
for the inevitable support given to the organization. Special thanks also to the Bishops of the Mainline
churches in Osogbo. Finally, the management of the organization expresses special thanks to the team
of courageous and resilient staff of the organization and the team of field observers earlier trained and
deployed for the observation of the election despite the threats of violence. We look forward to the
stabilization of democracy and electoral integrity in Osun state and in Nigeria.


We are urging all stakeholders, particularly the Federal and State governments, OSSIEC, security
agencies, political parties, and civil society organizations, to take immediate steps to safeguard the
electoral process and ensure that citizens can exercise their civic rights without any fear.
JDPMC remains committed to promoting democracy, human rights, and good governance. We stand
in solidarity with all stakeholders working towards peaceful and transparent elections and hope for
conditions that will enable meaningful observation in the future.


Rev Fr Peter Akinkunmi
General Coordinator

Osun PWDs Bill: “Your contributions are golden”- Osun lawmaker hails JDPMC

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A member representing Obokun Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewumi Adeyemi has commended a prominent, faith-based and Non-governmental Organization in the State also known as Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo for its enriched contributions towards the Osun State Disability Protection Bill, 2023.

Honourable Adewumi gave the commendation on the floor of the House during the Public Hearing on the Osun State Disability Protection bill, 2023 sponsored by the Lawmaker.

The Lawmaker described JDPMC Osogbo as a game changer in the drive for human capital development and added that its zeal and passion for promoting inclusivity irrespective of gender, colour, race and religion could not matched in the State.

Speaking further, the lawmaker said that the contributions of the Organization had immensely enriched the Bill and made it worthwhile, he therefore assured the Organization and the General Public that every contribution made would be considered during the next committee hearing on the bill.

“I am not surprised at the contributions made by the JDPMC on the floor of the House today, your zeal and passion for the less privileged particularly your drive for human capital development initiative has always been second to none. You have enriched this Bill and your contributions are golden, I equally assure the people of Osun that every contribution to this Bill will be considered accordingly.” He said.

Earlier in his recommendations on behalf of the Organization, the General Coordinator of the Justice, Development and Peace Makers, Centre, Osogbo, Rev. Fr. Peter Akinkunmi said that the Bill was not far from the heartbeat and yearnings of the Persons With Disabilities and lauded the thoughtfulness of the lawmaker as well as the entire 8th Osun Assembly under the Leadership of Honourable Speaker, Adewale Egbedun.

Fr. Akinkunmi however pointed out the need for creating sections that would promote Persons With Disabilities’ participation in Politics and Governance as well as the establishment of an Agency that would expressly be in charge of the Bill for proper implementation.

He therefore noted that the Organization was more than willing to partner with Corporate Bodies or Individuals of shared visions in bringing change to the State and Country at large.

The highlight of the RECOMMENDATIONS of the JDPMC:

1. PWDs PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE.

There is a need to include a section that will promote Persons With Disabilities’ (PWDs) participation in Politics and Governance with the specific provision from the Political party to give a certain percentage to PWDs to contest for different elective positions at all levels of government in the state. Also in terms of appointment, a minimum of 5% must be earmarked for all appointments in the state at all levels of government.

2. THE NEED FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF GOVERNMENT AGENCY FOR PWDs

There should also be an agency of Government which may be under the Ministry of Sports and Special Needs that will be in charge of the implementation of this bill as many other necessary provisions needed by PWDs, by implication, this will enable the Government to have the support of foreign donors or Philanthropists who could help in some areas of the needs of PWDs in the state.  

Heads of mainline churches kick against Owo massacre, call for peace in Osun guber poll

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SUSTAINING PEACE AND UNITY AHEAD OF, DURING AND AFTER THE 2022 OSUN STATE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION

(A press release by the Conference of Heads of Mainline Churches in Osogbo, Thursday, 16 June 2022)

  1. We heads of the mainline Churches in Osogbo namely the Bishop of the Catholic Osogbo of Diocese, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Osun, the Bishop of the Osun Diocese, the Bishop of the Osun-Central Diocese of the African Church and the President of the Osun Baptist Conference, hereby commend and appreciate the individual and joint-efforts of traditional institutions, religious leaders, leaders of various stakeholder-groups and unions in Osun state; together with the governments of the various states of the south-west to sustain and promote peace and unity across Yorubaland in spite of the advancing reign of terror and bloodshed across our country Nigeria.
  2. In spite of this, we cannot fail to express with profound bitterness of heart the terrible wound inflicted on our collective consciences as citizens of Nigeria and in particular members of the Body of Christ arising from the shedding of the blood of our Christian and Muslim compatriots simply for their expression of the religious views or attachment to the symbols of their religion. We therefore condemn vehemently the brutal attack and cold blood murder of numerous faithful at worship on a solemn day such as the day of Pentecost at St Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State. This atrocious incident transcends the growing disregard for the sacredness of human life in our country. To have invaded the House of God and murdered His children in His presence at his own sanctuary is a tragic act of assault on the person of the Almighty God. The hitherto brutal death suffered by Deborah Samuel in Sokoto in the hands of religious fanatics; and the cruel shedding of the blood of the pregnant Harira Jubril and her four children for their likely attachment to their Islamic religious symbol in Orumba, Imo State are indications that all hands must be on deck to ensure religious fanaticism does not aggravate the already overwhelming rate terror in the land.
  3. We appreciate the fact that few days after we joined our voices with all stakeholders formerly as a body, the Electoral Act 2022 was signed by the presidency and has since taken effect. We consider this development a renewal of hope and reinforcement of faith in the stability of democracy in our dear country Nigeria. We therefore call on all eligible citizens who have registered to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voter’s Card and prepare to participate actively in the coming gubernatorial election which is barely a month from today. The furtherance of the use of technology by the new electoral law as well as the efforts of INEC to decentralize the polling units to encourage voters to at closer proximity to their homes with less stress, INEC’s continuous engagement with all relevant stakeholders and enlightenment of the citizenry have set in motion an atmosphere that manifests a significant improvement on the past.
  • We commend also our politicians in Osun, who up to this point have significantly reduced verbal and physical assault of opponents in campaign activities. It is however disheartening that we already observe triggers of violence around our major cities such as the destruction of posters and symbols of candidates of various parties. While we appeal to politicians to continue to use verbal and body languages that promote peace as we approach the election date, we encourage all young persons in Osun state to make a personal commitment to contribute to the joint effort for the fostering of peace and progress in Osun State.
  • We shall not also fail to mention with dismay, the worsening shameful ugly trend of money politics during the recently held primaries of various political parties. All citizens of Osun and indeed our nation Nigeria must in the spirit of patriotism and sense of common vehemently renounce the marauding beast of vote buying which makes our polity vulnerable to cowards in the political space who mean nothing good for our common existence.
  • We encourage politicians to enliven the pre-election atmosphere with the issue-based campaigns and demonstrate respect for the citizenry by ensuring that their manifestos get to the reach of the common man at the grassroots to prepare them for voting from a free and informed conscience. In this respect, we call on the media to manifest high sense of professionalism as we appeal to all citizens to eschew fake news and hate speech and avoid their dissemination by whatever means. We must use social media conscientiously with respect for the dignity and safety of our fellow human beings.
  • We call on security agencies to be committed to the protection of all citizens of Nigeria and to create an atmosphere of security most needed for the conduct of a participatory credible election. They must perform their duties with an absolute sense of neutrality. We appeal to citizens also to be law abiding and cooperate with the security agencies to enable them to serve everyone effectively.
  • We encourage victors during the election to be magnanimous in victory and constitute an inclusive government that would give everyone a sense of belonging and would foster collaboration in peace for the progress of our dear state.
  • Finally, we call on all religious communities to put our state in prayer and encourage all the faithful of their religions to work with their compatriots for a peaceful and progressive Osun State and Nigeria as a whole. Prayers should be offered to reach out for the mercy of the almighty God upon our land.

Long live Osun State, Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Co-Signed:

Most Rev. John Oyejola                                                     Rt Rev Amos K. Ogunrinde

Catholic Bishop of Osogbo Diocese                                  The Methodist Bishop of Osogbo Diocese

                    

Rt Rev Dr Foluso Olugbenga Babatunji                          Rev James O. Bamidele

The Anglican Bishop of Osun Diocese                            The African Church Bishop of Osun Central Diocese

Rev Dr Paul Kolawole

Conference President, Osun Baptist Conference