#OsunDecides2026: Don’t give up on elections, 97-year-old urges Nigerians

At 97, Pa Isaac Adeniran Adesanmi has seen Nigeria’s electoral journey evolve through generations, but the nonagenarian insists that age will never stop him from exercising his civic responsibility.

Adesanmi, a great-grandfather, was among the early voters who turned out at NUD Primary School, Collation Centre, Unit 1, Ward 4, Ilase Ijesa, in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, on Saturday to participate in the ongoing governorship election.

Brought to the polling unit by his relations, the elderly voter waited patiently after the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) initially failed to capture his face and fingerprints.

INEC officials later assured him that the accreditation would be attempted again.
Speaking with journalists after the process, Adesanmi, whose name appeared as number 116 on the voters’ register, said he had been participating in elections since the era of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“I am 97 years old, and I started voting during the time of Awolowo. I always vote anytime an election comes up. I have been voting in Kaduna before I came back home,” he said.

He urged Nigerians, particularly young people, not to become discouraged about elections, stressing that voting remained one of the most important ways citizens could influence the kind of leadership they wanted.

“I will advise youths to vote because if they do not, the kind of leaders they want will not be there. My message for Nigerians is to continue to vote at all costs and vote for the people they like,” he said.

He also charged whoever emerges winner of the election to fulfil the promises made to the electorate.
“I want them to do as they promise,” the nonagenarian said.

The presence of the 97-year-old voter came amid a significant turnout across parts of the state, with voters arriving at polling units to exercise their franchise under tight security.

The APC governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, who also voted in the election, commended the turnout in Ikire, describing it as evidence that voters were not intimidated.

He said the presence of INEC officials, voters and security personnel indicated that the electoral process was progressing, while urging security agencies to remain proactive throughout the exercise.

According to him, the security agencies must sustain vigilance to prevent any attempt to disrupt voting or cause violence later in the day.

Oyebamiji, who expressed confidence in victory, also said he trusted the police to investigate and take appropriate action over the alleged arrest of a politician reportedly found with electoral materials.

Similarly, the Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, urged residents to come out and vote, saying there was no cause for alarm.
Fadahunsi cast his vote at about 10:48 a.m. at the same NUD Primary School polling centre in Ilase Ijesa, where he expressed satisfaction with the turnout but appealed for more voters to participate.

“Please, come out, there is no cause for alarm,” he said, urging voters to encourage others to exercise their franchise.

Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and his wife, Mrs Abibat Basiru, voted at Ward 7, Unit 3, in Osogbo Local Government Area at about 8:45 a.m.

Basiru commended INEC for what he described as the timely deployment of election materials and personnel, while also praising voters for turning out in large numbers.

He equally commended the security agencies for their presence at polling centres, saying the arrangements had helped to maintain a peaceful and orderly atmosphere.

Basiru expressed optimism that the election would be free, fair and credible, while also expressing confidence that the APC would emerge victorious.

However, the election was not without reported incidents, as suspected political thugs allegedly destroyed the polling unit of the ADC governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam, at Ward 4, Unit 13.

As voting continued across the state, security operatives maintained a strong presence at several polling centres, while voters continued to participate in the exercise.

For Pa Adesanmi, however, the message remained simple: after nearly a century of witnessing Nigeria’s political history, citizens must not abandon the ballot box.