NANS Southwest Appeals to Tinubu: Let the Will of Osun People Prevail

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that the will of Osun voters is fully respected as the collation of results from the Osun State Governorship Election continues.

In an urgent appeal signed by the Coordinator of NANS Southwest Zone D, Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode (BILLIONCODES), the student body recalled the President’s earlier call for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure that the election is peaceful, transparent, free, and fair.

NANS Southwest noted that the President’s declaration that the election would serve as an important test of INEC’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections makes the ongoing collation process particularly significant.

The student body stressed that the President’s position should be reflected in the conduct of electoral officials and security personnel deployed across the state.

According to the statement, Nigerian students across Osun State participated in the election following weeks of sensitisation by NANS Southwest, which encouraged students to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, reject violence, and participate peacefully in the democratic process.

The association said it remained strictly non-partisan and did not monitor the election on behalf of any candidate or political party.

However, NANS Southwest said its monitoring structures had received disturbing reports, particularly from Olorunda Local Government Area, concerning alleged restrictions around the collation environment and claims of discrepancies between results from polling units and figures being presented during collation.

The association was careful to describe the claims as allegations requiring independent verification.

“We deliberately describe these as reports and allegations requiring immediate verification,” the statement said, stressing that the integrity demanded from electoral authorities must equally guide the conduct of student leaders.

NANS Southwest appealed to President Tinubu to reinforce his earlier call for neutrality, transparency, and strict adherence to electoral procedures throughout the collation process.

It specifically urged INEC to investigate complaints emanating from Olorunda and other affected collation centres while allowing accredited party agents, observers, and journalists to carry out their lawful responsibilities.

The association also called for polling-unit result sheets, ward results, local government collation figures, and records uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to be preserved and transparently reconciled before the final declaration.

NANS Southwest reminded the President that Osun State is bigger than any political party and Nigeria is bigger than any election.

“The strongest message Your Excellency can therefore send to Nigerian youths tonight is that under your leadership, no police officer, political actor, government official or electoral officer is powerful enough to rewrite the decision freely expressed by citizens at the ballot box,” the statement added.

The student body said students had fulfilled their part by registering, collecting their PVCs, voting peacefully, and participating in the democratic process.

“All we ask now is that their votes be allowed to count exactly as cast,” NANS Southwest stated.

The appeal was copied to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State.