Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has declared Friday, August 14, 2026, a work-free day for public service workers across the state ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The declaration was contained in a circular issued by the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina, and shared on Wednesday by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on X.
According to the circular, the decision was taken to enable workers who need to travel to their polling areas to do so and prepare to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
The state government said the declaration applies to all categories of workers, except those engaged in emergency and other essential services.
Meanwhile, Adeleke has urged workers in the state, as well as their relatives and friends, to turn out en masse for the election and defend their votes to ensure continuity in the state.
In a pre-election message to workers, the governor commended the leadership of organised labour and the wider workforce for their support for his administration.
He described the relationship between his administration and Osun workers as mutually beneficial, highlighting what he said were the gains recorded by his government in the area of workers’ welfare.
“The time for action has come. As formal workers at state establishments, I task you to mobilise informal workers, artisans and professional bodies,” Adeleke said.
He urged workers and other residents to remain firm in defending their constitutional rights, stressing that the election presented an opportunity to sustain the achievements of his administration.
“We must remain strong in defence of our constitutional rights to vote and be voted for,” he said.
The governor further appealed to the electorate to protect what he described as the gains recorded by his administration over the past three and a half years.
“We must defend the gains of the last three and half years plus. Ours is a workers-friendly government which has delivered across board to labour and Osun people. We cannot and must not allow a return to dark days,” Adeleke said.
