By Isa Isawade

Media and the public were shocked on Saturday when the much-anticipated Osun 2026 Governorship Election Debate scheduled for 3:00 PM atAurora Events, Osogbo was cancelled just as the programme was expected to commence.

Journalists from various media organisations had arrived the venue and set their equipment in the hall already well arranged by orginisers of the all-important debate when at about 3:30 PM an order suddenly came, allegedly from the National Broadcasting Commission, for an abrupt cancellation.

By the time the order came, in addition to the journalists, some stakeholders and participants including the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Mr Olajide Esan, had been seated for over forty minutes.

The organisers much later said the decision to cancel the debate was “unanimously reached following unfavourable security reports and the reluctance of some of the leading governorship candidates to participate under the prevailing circumstances.”

The debate, jointly organised by Uniq FM, Rave FM, Diamond FM, and Fresh FM, was expected to feature the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam; Accord Party, Gov. Ademola Adeleke, and the African Action Congress (AAC), Olajide Esan.

According to the organisers, the cancellation became necessary in the interest of public safety and to prevent any situation that could endanger participants, invited guests, media personnel, and members of the public.

The development comes amid reports of unrest in different parts of Osun State, raising concerns over the security challenges that can affect the guests.

The organisers expressed appreciation to all stakeholders and members of the public for their understanding, assuring that any future arrangements regarding the debate will be communicated through the appropriate channels.