The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has reaffirmed its readiness to conduct the Osun State Governorship Election on Saturday, August 15, 2026, assuring stakeholders that all logistical, technological and operational arrangements have been concluded for a free, fair and credible poll.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance on Thursday at the Osun State Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum held in Osogbo.
To boost voter turnout, Prof. Amupitan announced an extension of the Permanent Voter Card, PVC, collection exercise to Friday, July 31, 2026. He disclosed that 322,822 newly registered voters, representing 62 per cent, have so far collected their PVCs.
“_The Commission has completed its preparations and is fully ready to deliver an election that reflects the will of the people of Osun State,_” he said.
As part of preparations, the INEC Chairman also announced that a mock accreditation exercise will be conducted on Saturday, August 1, 2026, across 12 selected Local Government Areas to test the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, ahead of election day.
*Voter register hits 2.3m, BVAS ready*
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, said the stakeholders’ forum marked the final engagement before the election and highlighted the Commission’s level of preparedness.
She revealed that the voter register in Osun has increased from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233.
According to her, all 3,763 BVAS devices required for the election have been configured and fully charged, with an additional 1,328 backup machines set aside for contingencies.
Mrs. Babalola added that non-sensitive materials have been distributed to the 30 LGAs, while sensitive materials are secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria office in Osogbo. Training of ad hoc staff, she said, will run from July 31 to August 9, 2026.
*’No to vote buying, intimidation’*
The Supervising National Commissioner for Osun State, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, described the election as a critical test of Nigeria’s democratic credentials.
He said INEC has invested heavily in election logistics, voter education, personnel training and technology to enhance transparency and credibility.
Prof. Ajayi warned political parties and candidates against inflammatory rhetoric, voter intimidation and vote buying, stating that anyone found violating the Electoral Act would face the full weight of the law.
He also called on security agencies, the media and civil society organisations to remain professional and impartial in supporting the electoral process.
The forum ended with an interactive session where stakeholders raised concerns on election logistics, security, BVAS deployment, PVC collection and voter accreditation. Responding, Prof. Amupitan addressed the issues and reassured participants that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible election on August 15.
*INEC meets security agencies*
Immediately after the stakeholders’ engagement, the INEC Chairman led National Commissioners, members of the Commission’s management team and other senior officials into a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, to finalise security arrangements for the poll.
The Osun governorship election is widely seen as a key test-run ahead of the 2027 general elections scheduled to commence in January.
Report by: NEWS CENTURY TV
