Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared Friday, August 14, a work-free day for civil servants across the state, giving them time to travel and prepare to cast their votes in the 2026 governorship election. The announcement came through a circular on Wednesday, August 12, signed by the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina, according to Legit.ng.
Holiday Covers All Workers Except Essential Staff
The circular stated that the decision covers all categories of public workers except those performing emergency and essential services, who are expected to remain on duty. This move aims to facilitate voter participation among state employees ahead of the election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Governor Adeleke, in a pre-election message directed at the workforce, called on state employees to go beyond their own votes and actively bring in others. He asked workers to reach out to artisans, informal workers, and professional bodies, framing Saturday's poll as a defence of the gains made over the past three and a half years of his administration.
Adeleke Tasks Workers to Mobilise Voters
The governor praised the labour leadership and workers for their support throughout his tenure, describing the relationship between his government and Osun workers as mutually beneficial. In his statement, Adeleke said: "The time for action has come. As formal workers at state establishments, I task you to mobilise informal workers, artisans and professional bodies. We must remain strong in defence of our constitutional rights to vote and be voted for."
He added: "We must defend the gains of the last three and half years plus. Ours is a workers friendly government which has delivered across board to labour and Osun people. We cannot and must not allow a return to dark days."
Election Scheduled for Saturday, August 15
The governorship election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 15, across polling units in Osun State. The holiday is expected to enable civil servants to travel to their polling units and participate in the electoral process, which will determine the next governor of the southwest state.
This development comes as part of broader efforts to ensure a smooth and inclusive election, with the state government prioritising worker participation. The circular applies to all public workers in the state, with exceptions only for those in emergency and essential services, who must remain on duty to maintain critical operations.
