Osun Guber: You Can’t Kill Same People You Want to Govern — Dantalle Warns Politicians

National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Yusuf Dantalle, has warned politicians against perpetrating violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.

Dantalle expressed concern over rising cases of electoral violence, noting that several local government areas had been identified as potential hotspots ahead of Saturday’s poll.

He cautioned political actors against attacking or harming the same citizens they seek to govern, stressing that the destruction of lives and property undermines democratic principles.

Speaking on the election, the IPAC chairman said the council had continued to condemn incidents of violence and had urged key stakeholders, including political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and traditional rulers, to prioritise the interests of Osun residents.

“It is unacceptable to harm the people you intend to govern. There have been several incidents involving the destruction of lives and property, as well as protests and counter-protests,” Dantalle said.

He stressed that democracy was fundamentally about allowing citizens to freely and fairly choose their leaders, with all parties respecting and accepting the outcome of the election.

Dantalle urged all stakeholders to exercise caution and avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.

He particularly warned against the use of state institutions to intimidate or harass political opponents, urging political actors to allow voters to freely make their choices.

“If we allow such actions to continue, we must consider their implications for the general elections just a few months away. It could be a foreshadowing of what we may encounter in the 2027 elections,” he said.

Dantalle called for restraint among political actors and other stakeholders, stressing that the progress made in Nigeria’s democratic process must not be undermined by election-related violence.