JUST IN: INEC WARNS TROUBLEMAKERS, VOWS TO CRACK DOWN ON VOTE BUYING AHEAD OF OSUN GOVERNORSHIP POLL

INEC WARNS TROUBLEMAKERS, VOWS TO CRACK DOWN ON VOTE BUYING AHEAD OF OSUN GOVERNORSHIP POLL


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that anyone attempting to disrupt the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election or engage in vote buying will face the full weight of the law.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), gave the warning on Thursday in Osogbo during the signing of the National Peace Committee's Peace Accord by the 14 political parties participating in the election, alongside security agencies, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders.

According to the commission, 11 of the 13 activities on the election timetable have been completed, with the end of campaigns on August 13 and election day remaining.

Amupitan stressed that INEC would not allow violence or intimidation to undermine the democratic process.

"We will not allow the democratic will of the people to be subverted by fear or force. Insecurity is a direct assault on the sanctity of the ballot," he said.

He disclosed that election officials would be deployed across Osun State's 30 Local Government Areas, the Modakeke Area Office, 332 Registration Areas, and 3,763 Polling Units.

The INEC chairman said the certified voter register contains 2,339,233 eligible voters following the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) exercise. He added that 322,822 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), representing 62 percent of newly registered voters, had been collected.

To enable more eligible voters to obtain their PVCs, INEC extended the collection exercise at all Local Government offices until Friday, July 31.

Addressing security concerns, Amupitan said the commission had adopted proactive security measures through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), with intelligence-led operations to be carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and the Armed Forces.

He assured voters that stolen uncollected PVCs from Okuku in Odo-Otin Local Government Area and Ife Central could not be used because accreditation requires live biometric verification using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

According to him, the serial numbers of the stolen cards are being blacklisted while affected voters are being issued replacement cards or authorised to download digital verification PVCs.

The INEC chairman also identified several high-risk areas, including Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun, and Oriade Local Government Areas, where additional security personnel will be deployed.

On vote buying, Amupitan warned that INEC would work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to deploy plainclothes operatives around polling units.

He stated that anyone caught buying or selling votes, whether through cash or electronic transfers, would be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.

INEC also announced that 4,427 BVAS devices, including a 15 percent operational reserve, have been configured for the election. Polling unit results will be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after voting, while a statewide mock accreditation exercise is scheduled for August 1 across 12 Local Government Areas.

The commission further disclosed that assistive devices such as Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, and priority voting arrangements would be provided for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and elderly voters.

Speaking on behalf of the National Peace Committee Chairman, former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), Cardinal John Onaiyekan urged political parties to honour the peace accord and conduct peaceful campaigns.

Also, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Fasuba Akinyele Olabode, representing the Inspector-General of Police, assured residents that security agencies would remain neutral throughout the election.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, appealed to political stakeholders to reject violence, stressing that the peace and stability of Osun State should remain a priority.

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