Police release Osun SSG as parties sign peace pact

The Nigeria Police released Teslim Igbalaye following brief detention over voter registration irregularities, as Governor Adeleke and opposition candidates signed a peace pact ahead of the August poll

The Nigeria Police Force released Teslim Igbalaye, Secretary to the Osun State Government, following his brief detention over alleged voter registration material irregularities. Concurrently, Governor Ademola Adeleke and opposition candidates signed a formal electoral peace pact in Osogbo under INEC supervision ahead of the August governorship poll.

Igbalaye’s release suggests that the police may have concluded their investigation or that the allegations were not deemed serious enough to warrant continued detention. The signing of the peace pact is a positive development, as it signals a commitment by all parties to a peaceful election. The pact, supervised by INEC, is intended to prevent violence and ensure a credible poll.

This echoes the 2018 Osun election peace pact, which also saw candidates commit to a peaceful process. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a focus on peaceful elections.

The winners: the people of Osun, who may benefit from a peaceful election; and the political parties, who have committed to a peaceful process. The losers: those who might seek to disrupt the election; and the Nigerian public, who must hope that the pact is honoured.

Bottom Line: The Osun SSG has been released as the parties sign a peace pact. The election is approaching. The question is whether the peace will hold or violence will erupt.