Osun Election: Amnesty International Predicts Voter Apathy Over Rising Tensions

The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, has predicted low voter turnout in the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, citing concerns over political violence and threats ahead of the poll.

Sanusi made the prediction on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

He said many eligible voters could stay away from polling units because of fears for their safety, particularly following recent inflammatory political remarks.

The Amnesty International director specifically referenced comments attributed to the lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, who was reportedly seen in a video threatening members of the Accord Party ahead of the election.

Sanusi said such statements, alongside other reported incidents of violence, could discourage voters from participating in the election.

“We should expect voter apathy because of the unfortunate remarks of that 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,” he said.

According to him, voters may not necessarily be unwilling to exercise their civic rights but could choose to stay away because of concerns about their safety.

“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. That is very dangerous,” Sanusi said.

He expressed concern that voter apathy remained a broader challenge in Nigeria, pointing to the low turnout recorded during previous elections.

Sanusi urged political actors to embrace democratic principles, stressing the need for candidates and their supporters to accept election outcomes peacefully.

“If you look at the figures of the last presidential election, it’s awful. The voter apathy is really awful. In other countries, those kinds of elections cannot go on. We have to have the spirit of accepting defeat and welcoming victory,” he added.