The Osun State Government has constituted a 10-member committee to verify victims of election-related violence and oversee the disbursement of the N500 million endowment fund promised by Governor Ademola Adeleke after his re-election victory.
The committee, announced on Monday, is expected to receive and verify petitions, claims and supporting evidence from people affected by the violence and recommend appropriate relief for those found eligible.
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The development comes barely a week after Mr Adeleke announced the fund following his victory in the 15 August governorship election, during which he acknowledged that the political contest had come at a heavy human cost, including deaths, injuries, destruction of property and disrupted livelihoods.
The governor had said the intervention was intended to support verified victims and their families and promised that beneficiaries would not be discriminated against on the basis of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status.
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Following the 15 August governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Mr Adeleke winner after securing 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
The newly constituted committee is chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Olumide, while Sola Sonibare, Executive Secretary of the Osun Investment Promotion Agency, will serve as secretary.
Its membership is comprised of representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Ministries of Information and Justice, as well as other government officials.
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According to the government’s statement, the committee is expected to ensure that the fund is administered transparently, fairly and strictly for verified victims.
“The committee is mandated to receive and verify petitions, claims and supporting evidence submitted by victims; determine the eligibility of claimants; and recommend appropriate relief to verified victims in accordance with the guidelines approved by the State Government,” the statement read.
Response to Osun’s election violence?
The establishment of the committee is the latest government response to a wave of violence that surrounded the state’s governorship election.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how violence claimed the lives of several people and left others injured, with political parties repeatedly trading accusations over responsibility for attacks.
Among the victims remembered by the governor was 14-year-old Ezekiel Olapade, who was shot dead in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, in June. His death drew fresh concerns over politically linked violence in the state ahead of the election.
Other victims named include Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera, alongside what he described as “many other victims whose lives were cut short or permanently affected by electoral violence.”
Mr Eluyera was killed in Ikire in May, with the police confirming that he was shot dead. The incident triggered accusations and counter-accusations between the Accord Party and the APC, although neither party was established as responsible for the killing.
The violence became significant enough for civil society organisations and other stakeholders to raise concerns about the safety of voters ahead of the election.
A report by Kimpact Development Initiative, for instance, identified 73 election-related violent incidents resulting in 29 deaths in the build-up to the election and listed 12 local government areas as high-risk. Amnesty International also warned of escalating violence and reported concerns around Osogbo, Ede, Ife, Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu and Ikire.
Violence persists after election
The violence surrounding Osun’s governorship election did not end with the declaration of Mr Adeleke as winner. In the days after the poll, fresh confrontations erupted in different parts of the state as rival political groups battled over control of local government secretariats and transportation unions.
On 17 August, two days after the election, gunshots rang out at the Ilesa East Local Government Secretariat as supporters of the Accord Party attempted to overtake the secretariat following the party’s victory.
READ ALSO: EDITORIAL: Osun election, the rise of civic action, and 2027
Similar tension was reported at other council secretariats as the political transition triggered renewed attempts by competing factions to assert control.
The developments were significant because the disputes over Osun’s local governments had already persisted before the governorship election, with rival parties laying competing claims to the councils.
The post-election tensions later spilled into the transport sector. On 24 August, a confrontation broke out at the Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, amid competing claims over control of the motor park. In the clash, five people were reportedly killed.
The police confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that there was shooting at the location but said they were still gathering information before confirming reports of casualties.
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