The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured voters that Saturday’s Osun State governorship election will be free, fair, credible and transparent. Ballot papers and result sheets arrived in Osogbo on Thursday and were taken to the Central Bank of Nigeria for onward distribution across the state. The election will take place in 332 wards across 30 local government areas, with 15 candidates on the ballot following the court-ordered inclusion of the SDP candidate.
INEC said 1,906,390 of Osun’s 2,339,233 registered voters collected their Permanent Voter Cards, representing 81.5 per cent. The remaining 432,843 PVCs have been deposited with the CBN. The commission also said 6,101 voters who applied for replacement cards printed downloadable copies of their PVCs, while polling-unit-level PVC collection data has been published.
President Bola Tinubu urged candidates, parties, voters, security agencies and electoral officials to ensure a peaceful poll. Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the APC’s final rally in Osogbo, Tinubu endorsed APC candidate Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, and urged him to prioritise infrastructure development if elected. He said increased federal allocations to states should translate into better infrastructure and living conditions.
The APC used its final rally to mobilise support for Oyebamiji, with several governors, federal lawmakers and party leaders attending. APC leaders urged voters to support the candidate, while Oyebamiji promised an inclusive government and even development across Osun.
The police also increased security deployments in Osogbo amid concerns over violence, following reports that at least 30 people have been killed in election-related and other disturbances.
However, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign organisation alleged that unauthorised INEC officials and uncustomised ballot papers and result sheets had been deployed in the state.
It specifically questioned the reported presence of Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner Pauline Ugoyenka, who it claimed was not among the RECs officially deployed to Osun. The allegations come as the election enters its final hours, with security agencies under pressure to prevent interference or violence.
The competing allegations, the history of violence surrounding the campaign and the heightened security presence mean the credibility of the process will depend not only on INEC’s preparations but also on the conduct of political actors, security agencies and voters on election day.
