Osun Group Targets 1.5m Votes For Tinubu Re-Election, Woos Traditional Rulers

The Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Osun State have appealed to traditional rulers across the state to support efforts to mobilise grassroots voters for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, setting a target of 1.5 million votes.

The group made the appeal during a meeting with traditional rulers from small towns and rural communities across the state at a programme tagged Small Towns and Rural Kings for Continuity, Renewed Hope, National Unity and Stability, held in Osogbo on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, the Osun State Coordinator of the organisation, Oluomo Sunday Akere, said the engagement was aimed at strengthening grassroots participation in the electoral process and securing the support of traditional institutions for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

Akere urged the monarchs to encourage eligible residents in their respective communities to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the January 2027 presidential election.

He expressed concern over voter apathy, noting that the failure of many registered voters to turn out during elections could undermine the collective power of citizens to determine who governs them.

According to him, the organisation believes traditional rulers have important roles to play in mobilising their subjects and promoting greater participation in the democratic process.

“One of the major objectives of the gathering is to consult with traditional rulers from rural communities and small towns on encouraging their subjects to participate in the nation’s democratic process,” Akere said.

He disclosed that the group was targeting 1.5 million votes for President Tinubu in Osun State, expressing confidence that the involvement of traditional rulers would strengthen its grassroots mobilisation efforts.

The coordinator also called for sustained engagement between political leaders and traditional institutions, stressing that monarchs should not be remembered only during election periods.

He maintained that traditional rulers should be regularly consulted on issues affecting their communities, particularly those relating to development, security and the welfare of their subjects.

To strengthen its campaign for Tinubu’s re-election, Akere highlighted some federal infrastructure projects in the South-West, particularly those located in Osun State.

Among the projects he mentioned were the Ilesa-Ife-Ibadan Expressway, Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan Road and Osogbo-Gbongan Road, which he said could form part of the administration’s development record presented to voters.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the organisation, the Eburu of Iba, Oba Adekunle Adeogun-Okunoye, called for increased voter participation, warning that poor turnout could weaken citizens’ influence in the democratic process.

The monarch said the initiative was designed to sensitise residents to the importance of elections and encourage eligible voters to exercise their civic responsibilities, irrespective of their political affiliations.

He stressed that voting remained a fundamental democratic right through which citizens could elect leaders they considered capable of addressing their needs and delivering good governance.

Oba Adeogun-Okunoye expressed concern that many registered voters often failed to participate in elections, calling for sustained public enlightenment to address the situation.

He added that traditional rulers could help extend voter education to rural communities and other areas that might not be adequately reached through conventional political campaigns.

In his remarks, the Osun State Head of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Voter Education, Gender and Inclusivity Department, Rufus Ariyo, welcomed the initiative, describing the involvement of traditional rulers as an opportunity to strengthen voter education at the grassroots.

Ariyo urged eligible voters to participate in elections and freely choose candidates from their preferred political parties.

He emphasised that the electoral process should provide every eligible citizen with the opportunity to determine the country’s leadership through the ballot, regardless of political affiliation.