The Osun Development Association (ODA) has concluded arrangements to host a high-level summit aimed at promoting peaceful, credible and issue-based campaigns ahead of the August 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
According to a press statement signed by the Association’s Assistant Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Adetayo, the event, tagged Osun 2026 Democratic Governance, Peace and Electoral Integrity Summit, is scheduled to hold on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Aurora Event Centre, New GRA, Osogbo, under the theme: “Speak, Choose, Hold Accountable: Citizens at the Centre of Osun’s Democracy.”
The summit, organised by ODA’s Leadership and Governance Committee (LEAD-GOV), is expected to commence at 10:00 a.m.
According to the association, the initiative is a non-partisan intervention by Osun’s diaspora and domestic civic community in response to growing concerns over political violence, destruction of campaign materials and increasing personality-driven politics ahead of the governorship poll.
Chairman of ODA’s LEAD-GOV Committee, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi, said the summit was designed to place citizens at the heart of the democratic process while promoting accountability among political actors.
“Osun State is at a critical democratic crossroads. We believe our state can, and must, set a national benchmark for peaceful, credible and development-driven elections. This summit moves citizens from the periphery to the very centre of the democratic process, demanding institutional accountability from all political actors,” he said.
The organisers said the summit would bring together key stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), heads of security agencies, registered political parties and their governorship candidates, religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, professional bodies, youth and women groups, as well as members of the media.
A major highlight of the event will be the unveiling and signing of three key documents intended to shape the state’s democratic culture beyond the forthcoming election.
These include the Osun 2026 Peace Charter, which seeks a public commitment by political parties and candidates to peaceful, issue-based campaigns; the Governance Accountability Charter, a document outlining citizens’ expectations from the next administration; and the Summit Communiqué, which will contain policy recommendations for sustaining peace before and after the election.
ODA also disclosed that it would collaborate with the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) to establish a post-summit monitoring and evaluation framework to track compliance with commitments made at the event for three months after the governorship election.
Chairman of the association, Dr. Segun Aina, said the participation of religious leaders, traditional institutions and the independent media would provide the moral authority and public oversight needed to safeguard peace in Osun State.
He urged members of the media, civil society organisations and invited corporate participants to complete their accreditation with the LEAD-GOV Committee Secretariat before the stipulated deadline to obtain entry passes and comply with media protocols.
The Osun Development Association is a non-partisan diaspora and domestic civic organisation committed to promoting socio-economic development, good governance and democratic sustainability in Osun State.
