Radio Stations Cancel Osun Governorship Debate Over Security Concerns

The Osun State governorship debate organised by four private radio stations was cancelled on Saturday after organisers cited unfavourable security reports and the reluctance of some leading candidates to participate.

The debate, jointly organised by Uniq FM, Rave FM, Diamond FM and Fresh FM, was scheduled to feature the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji; the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam; the Accord Party; and the African Action Congress (AAC), represented by Olajide Esan.

However, only Esan arrived at the venue before organisers announced the cancellation.

Despite the development, the AAC candidate mounted the stage and addressed supporters and attendees, outlining his vision for Osun State before the gathering dispersed.

In a statement made available to journalists, the organisers explained that the decision was taken in the interest of public safety.

They said the debate was cancelled following unfavourable security reports and the unwillingness of some of the leading governorship candidates to participate under the prevailing circumstances.

According to the organisers, reports of unrest in parts of Osun State raised concerns about the safety of candidates, invited guests, media personnel and members of the public expected at the event.

“The cancellation became necessary in the interest of public safety and to prevent any situation that could endanger participants, invited guests, media personnel and members of the public,” the statement read.

Reacting to the development, Esan accused the APC, ADC and Accord Party candidates of deliberately boycotting the debate.

The AAC candidate described the governorship debate as an essential democratic platform where contestants present their programmes, defend their policies and answer questions from journalists and the electorate.

According to him, the refusal of the other candidates to attend reflected a lack of readiness to submit themselves to public scrutiny.

Esan argued that anyone seeking to govern the state should be prepared to publicly explain policies and answer questions from voters.

He maintained that candidates unwilling to participate in such engagements lacked the courage and competence expected of a governor.

The cancelled debate was expected to provide voters with an opportunity to compare the programmes of the candidates ahead of the Osun governorship election, but organisers said security considerations ultimately made its postponement unavoidable.