The countdown to the August 15 Osun State governorship election has taken a more heated turn, with the Accord Party accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly harbouring individuals it described as “election result hackers” in a hotel in Osogbo.
The allegation, which was made just days before voters head to the polls, has introduced a fresh dimension to the increasingly tense electoral contest, with Accord calling on security agencies to investigate the claim and prevent any attempt to compromise the election.
The Osun State Chairman of the Accord Party, Victor Akande, made the allegation in a statement issued in Osogbo on Saturday.
According to Akande, the party received what it described as credible information that some individuals allegedly brought into the state from Lagos and Abuja had established an operational base at a hotel in Osogbo.
The Accord chairman claimed the alleged hackers were preparing to target the digital systems of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and manipulate election results.
He said the alleged operation was intended to interfere with the electronic transmission and management of results after voting.
Accord alleged that the individuals had been “brought in from Lagos and Abuja” and were operating from the hotel as part of an alleged plan to compromise the electoral process.
The party subsequently urged security agencies to immediately investigate the allegation and raid the hotel, which it identified as GMT Hotel, along with any other location suspected of being used for similar activities.
It also called on INEC to strengthen the cybersecurity of its electoral infrastructure ahead of the poll.
Accord Raises Alarm Over Hacking Plot
The opposition party warned that any attempt to manipulate the election electronically could undermine the credibility of the August 15 poll.
Accord said INEC should urgently review its digital security arrangements and ensure that its electronic systems were adequately protected against possible cyberattacks.
The party also warned that any attempt to alter or manipulate election results would be resisted by voters.
It said, “The hackers were brought in from Lagos and Abuja and they have set up an operational centre at the hotel. Their target is to compromise the INEC electronic system to impute fake election results into the INEC server.”
Accord further urged security agencies to move quickly before the alleged operation could have any impact on the election.
The party said it remained confident of mobilising enough voters to secure victory at the poll but insisted that the election must be conducted transparently and without interference.
APC Dismisses Accusation
The APC swiftly rejected the allegation, describing it as false, baseless and an indication of the Accord Party’s fear of losing the election.
The APC spokesperson in Osun State, Kola Olabisi, said the party had no reason to engage in electoral manipulation because it was confident of victory through the ballot.
Olabisi challenged Accord to report the matter to the police if it genuinely believed that the APC was harbouring hackers.
He described the allegation as an attempt to damage the reputation of the APC ahead of the election.
“The allegation that our party is harbouring hackers in a particular hotel in Osogbo is false without any foundation, and there is no basis for that,” he said.
According to him, the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, was capable of winning the election without resorting to electoral fraud.
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Olabisi argued that the accusation was being fuelled by what he described as the Accord Party’s fear of defeat.
He said, “Our party does not need to rig any election before our candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, wins the election.”
The APC spokesman urged voters to disregard the allegation, describing it as “a figment of the imagination” of those spreading the claim.
He added that anyone with evidence of an alleged hacking operation should approach the appropriate security agencies rather than make unsubstantiated public accusations.
Tension Rises Ahead Of August 15 Poll
The latest controversy comes as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the Osun governorship election.
INEC has cleared 14 political parties to participate in the poll, but the contest has largely shaped up as a battle between the Accord Party and the APC.
Accord is seeking to retain power with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke as its candidate, while the APC is banking on former National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) chief executive, Bola Oyebamiji.
With the election now days away, both parties have stepped up their mobilisation efforts, while security and electoral integrity remain major concerns.
The hacking allegation, however, remains an accusation by Accord and has been rejected by the APC. No independent evidence confirming the alleged operation had been established as of the time of filing the report.
For voters, the immediate question is no longer just who will win Osun — but whether the state’s fiercely contested election can proceed without violence, manipulation or attempts to undermine the credibility of the final result.