In order to honor the sacrifices of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s supporters who were allegedly attacked during the ongoing governorship campaign, the Imole Campaign Council has proposed state honors and official recognition for victims of electoral violence and killings throughout Osun State.
The council claimed that a number of Accord Party members and the governor’s grassroots supporters had been killed, injured, kidnapped, or imprisoned due to their political affiliation and support for Adeleke’s reelection in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, and posted on its Facebook page on Thursday.
Kolade Eluyera, who the council claimed was killed in Ikire on May 8, 2026; Ezekiel Olapade, who it claimed was killed in Ilobu on June 21, 2026; Ajayi Rogba, who it claimed was killed in Ẹsa-Òkè on June 23, 2026; and Timilehin Oni, who it claimed was shot and killed last month.
Asimiyu Ajibola, Samuel Saliu, Taofeek Saka, Lawal Habeeb, Adeyemi Toheeb, Monday Fidelis, Ramoni Kamolideen, Kamar Aola, and John Matthew were among those it listed as having been slain or hurt while assisting Adeleke in her reelection campaign.
The council claims that in recent weeks, over 100 governor supporters and campaign coordinators have also been taken into custody.
“In a desperate attempt to cripple grassroots mobilization for the governor’s re-election on August 15, 2026, the police have also persecuted and arbitrarily detained over 100 other focal campaigners of Adeleke over the past few weeks,” the statement added.
The campaign council encouraged the Nigeria Police Force to continue acting impartially and professionally while carrying out its duties, denouncing what it called the assassination, persecution, and intimidation of its members.
The council insisted that those who paid what it called the “supreme price” should receive official recognition from the state, even though it acknowledged that neither recognition nor compensation could match the losses endured by the victims and their families.
“The Imole Campaign Council believes that it is essential and worthy that those who have made various sacrifices including the ultimate price against oppression and repression while expressing their support for the governor’s reelection be given state honors, even though no acknowledgment or payment can match the degree of sacrifice made by the victims of APC-sponsored attacks. The message went on, “Their sacrifices are not in vain.”
The council stated that information about the planned state honors would be shared eventually.
