The planned Osun 2026 Governorship Debate has been cancelled following security concerns and the decision of some leading governorship candidates not to participate, organisers have announced.
The development comes less than two weeks before the August 15 governorship election in the state, raising concerns among voters and civil society groups about the shrinking opportunities for candidates to publicly present their manifestoes.
The debate, scheduled to hold on Saturday in Osogbo, was jointly organised by Uniq FM, Rave FM, Diamond FM and Fresh FM.
In a statement, the organisers said the decision to cancel the event was reached unanimously after receiving unfavourable security reports and noting the reluctance of some major candidates to attend under the prevailing circumstances.
They said public safety remained their priority and pledged to announce any future arrangements through appropriate channels.
The debate was expected to feature candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party and the African Action Congress (AAC), giving them an opportunity to outline their policies and answer questions from voters ahead of the election.
The cancellation has drawn criticism from stakeholders and residents, many of whom described it as a setback for democratic accountability.
Media executive and civil society advocate Jare Tiamiyu said the absence of leading candidates from the debate denied voters the chance to scrutinise their plans for governance, describing the development as a missed opportunity for meaningful democratic engagement.
Some residents, however, defended the decision of certain candidates. One resident, Mayowa, claimed the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, was preparing to participate in a separate debate organised by Channels Television rather than the cancelled event.
Others insisted that all governorship candidates should be willing to engage directly with the electorate before seeking their mandate.
The cancellation comes at a crucial stage of the electioneering campaign, as political parties intensify efforts to win support ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.
Election observers have consistently identified public debates as an important platform for voters to compare candidates’ policies, leadership qualities and vision for governance before casting their ballots.
