INEC Warns Against Election Violence as Political Parties Sign Osun Peace Accord Ahead of Governorship Poll
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a peaceful, credible and transparent governorship election in Osun State, warning that anyone attempting to disrupt the August 15 poll will face the full weight of the law.
Speaking during the signing of the Osun State Governorship Election Peace Accord in Osogbo on Thursday, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said the Commission had completed 11 of the 13 activities on its election timetable, leaving only the close of campaigns on August 13 and Election Day on August 15.
The Peace Accord ceremony, organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC), brought together INEC, security agencies, traditional rulers and representatives of the 14 political parties participating in the election.
Prof. Amupitan disclosed that the election would be conducted across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas and the Modakeke Area Office, covering 332 Registration Areas and 3,763 Polling Units, with 2,339,233 registered voters eligible to cast their ballots.
He also announced that 322,822 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), representing 62 per cent of newly registered voters, had been collected, while PVC distribution at Local Government offices had been extended to July 31 to enable more eligible voters participate in the election.
INEC Raises Security Concerns
The INEC Chairman expressed concern over reports of violence and threats in parts of Osun State, describing insecurity as a direct attack on democracy.
He said the Commission had adopted a proactive security strategy through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), working closely with the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces and other security agencies to safeguard election personnel, materials and voters.
According to him, intelligence-led security operations would be deployed to polling units and collation centres, while any attempt to intimidate voters or disrupt the electoral process would attract severe legal consequences.
Addressing the theft of uncollected PVCs in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, and Ife Central, Prof. Amupitan assured the public that the stolen cards could not be used for voting because accreditation requires live biometric verification through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
He added that the affected cards had been blacklisted, security agencies were tracking those responsible, and replacement cards or digital verification PVCs would be provided for affected voters.
Electoral Risk Management, Vote Buying
The INEC Chairman said the Commission had activated its Electoral Risk Management framework to identify and monitor security threats across the state.
He listed Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade as identified hotspots where enhanced security measures would be implemented.
Prof. Amupitan further revealed that INEC was collaborating 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 combat vote buying.
He warned that anyone caught buying or selling votes, whether through cash or electronic transfers, would be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.
To ensure seamless accreditation, the Commission said it had configured 4,427 BVAS machines, including a 15 per cent reserve, while all polling unit results would be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after voting.
INEC also announced that a statewide mock accreditation exercise would be held on August 1 across 12 Local Government Areas, with political parties, election observers and the media invited to monitor the exercise.
The Commission further reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive elections through the deployment of Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, hearing-impaired posters and priority voting arrangements for persons with disabilities, pregnant women and elderly voters.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the National Peace Committee, former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Cardinal John Onaiyekan urged political parties and candidates to honour the Peace Accord and conduct issue-based campaigns free from violence.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Fasuba Akinyele Olabode assured residents of adequate security deployment and pledged neutrality by security personnel throughout the election.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, commended INEC’s independence and appealed to political actors to place the peace and unity of Osun State above political interests.
The event was attended by the Osun State Governor, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), INEC National Commissioners, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and representatives of security agencies.
Following the ceremony, Prof. Amupitan led an assessment tour of the INEC Local Government offices in Osogbo and Ede South to inspect the Commission’s level of preparedness for the forthcoming governorship election.
