Osun 2026: Traditional Worshippers Press INEC To Shift Poll Date Over Festival Clash

Fresh pressure is mounting on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the timing of the 2026 Osun State governorship election, following an appeal by traditional worshippers who fear a clash with the globally renowned Osun-Osogbo Cultural Festival.

The Traditional Religion Worshippers Association of Osun State (TRWASO) has urged the electoral umpire to reconsider the August 8, 2026 poll date, arguing that it comes barely a day after the grand finale of the annual festival, a development the group says could overstretch security arrangements and disrupt long-established cultural rites.

In a formal letter dated January 20 and addressed to the INEC Chairman, the association explained that activities marking the Osun-Osogbo Festival would commence on July 27 and climax on August 7. The correspondence, jointly signed by TRWASO President, Dr Oluseyi Atanda, and Secretary, Chief Ifasola Onifade, was made available to journalists in Osogbo on Tuesday.

The group noted that August 7 traditionally hosts major spiritual rites and processions that often run late into the evening, making it impractical, in its view, to seamlessly transition into a statewide election less than 24 hours later.

While acknowledging INEC’s constitutional mandate to fix election dates, the association maintained that the Osun-Osogbo Festival, recognised internationally and listed by UNESCO as a cultural heritage, attracts thousands of devotees, tourists and returnees from across Nigeria and beyond.

According to TRWASO, the sheer volume of visitors during the festival’s grand finale usually necessitates strict movement restrictions and intensive crowd control, factors it warned could complicate election logistics and security deployment.

The association further expressed concern that political actors might exploit the convergence of large crowds to foment unrest in the tense pre-election atmosphere.

“There are bound to be challenges enforcing restrictions of movement, given the influx of travellers and worshippers expected in the state,” the group cautioned, adding that the sanctity of the festival remains a constitutional and cultural right of its adherents.

To bolster its case, TRWASO recalled the postponement of the 2015 general election, which was shifted on security considerations, urging INEC to apply similar discretion in the interest of public safety and peaceful coexistence.

INEC had earlier announced August 8, 2026 as the date for the Osun governorship election, during which voters are expected to elect a successor to the incumbent administration. Whether the commission will bow to the appeal now poses a strategic test of balancing electoral obligations with deep-rooted cultural traditions.