A human rights lawyer has broken his silence on the Osun State governorship election, raising concerns about the conduct of political actors. Binzak Azeez criticised President Bola Tinubu's involvement in the race, saying nation-building must come before partisan politics. He also described Governor Ademola Adeleke's endorsement of the president as a sign of desperation, but noted his rival is not free of fault.
Lawyer Warns Against Undermining Democratic Values
Azeez, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, said he had deliberately stayed out of public commentary on who should win the election but made clear he was watching developments closely and had strong views on how the process was being handled. He warned that both the incumbent governor and the presidency risk undermining democratic values in the state.
On the question of Governor Ademola Adeleke's re-election bid, Azeez said voters should judge the governor purely on what he has delivered in office. He expressed disappointment that Adeleke's relationship with the presidency had become a defining factor in the campaign rather than his record of governance.
President's Duty to Build Level Playing Field
"It is the duty of the president to build a level playing field for all the gubernatorial candidates," Azeez said. "Being the president goes beyond playing politics. Nation-building should always come before playing politics. There is no way a nation can be built by subjugating the will of the people."
The lawyer was direct in his assessment of President Bola Tinubu's involvement, arguing that federal influence in a state election sets a dangerous precedent and weakens democratic institutions.
Both Candidates Guilty of Political Anomalies
Azeez also turned his attention to Adeleke's decision to publicly endorse the president, calling it a sign of desperation and an unprincipled move. However, he was careful not to single out the governor alone.
"I see the endorsement of the president by Governor Ademola Adeleke as a sign of desperation and unprincipled play of politics," he said, adding that Adeleke's major opponent in the race had displayed similar traits through different actions. Azeez described these patterns as deeply rooted problems within Nigeria's political culture rather than faults unique to any one candidate.
Holding the Winner Accountable
The activist said his primary concern remains ensuring that whoever wins the election is held accountable to the people of Osun State and that the dividends of democracy reach ordinary citizens, regardless of which party controls the government house.
Azeez's full statement read: "I have intentionally stayed out of the public discussion on who wins the gubernatorial election in Osun State since the inception of the political campaign in the state. However, neither does it mean that I do not have a preferred candidate amongst the governorship candidates nor that I couldn't accurately project the possible winner in the election. As a human rights lawyer and an activist, I am much more interested in putting pressure on whoever emerges as the governor for the people to benefit from the dividends of democracy."
"The re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke should be centred on his level of performance in office. It is unfortunate that his political alignment with or without the president is playing a big role in his bid for re-election. It is the duty of the president to build a level playing field for all the gubernatorial candidates. Being the president goes beyond playing politics. Nation-building should always come before playing politics. There is no way a nation can be built by subjugating the will of the people."
"Lastly, I see the endorsement of the president by Governor Ademola Adeleke as a sign of desperation and unprincipled play of politics. However, Governor Adeleke is not the only one guilty of these anomalies which have been inculcated into Nigeria's political system. His major contender in the governorship race has also exhibited these traits in different ways."
Legit.ng earlier reported that Peter Obi spoke out against Senator Francis Fadahunsi over comments he described as inflammatory and threat-laden before the Osun State election. Obi called on Fadahunsi to retract his statements and apologise to the people of Osun State. The Labour Party presidential candidate urged security agencies to monitor inflammatory rhetoric and protect voters before, during, and after the polls.
