Moses Ofodeme
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday 30th July, 2026, joined the National Peace Committee (NPC), security Agencies, traditional rulers and 14 contesting political parties to sign a Peace Accord ahead of the Osun State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, 15 August 2026.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Osogbo, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said the Commission had completed 11 activities on its Timetable and Schedule of Activities, with only the end of campaigns at midnight on 13 August and the opening of polls on 15 August remaining.
He disclosed that the Commission would deploy across 30 Local Government Areas and the Modakeke Area Office, covering 332 Registration Areas and 3,763 Polling Units, with a certified Register of Voters standing at 2,339,233 eligible voters following the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) exercise.
Prof. Amupitan said 322,822 Permanent Voter Cards, representing 62 per cent of newly registered voters, had been collected as of the close of primary distribution, adding that collection at all Local Government Area offices had been extended to Friday, 31 July 2026, to ensure inclusivity.
**INEC Chairman raises alarm over insecurity**
The INEC Chairman raised concerns over the security situation ahead of the election, warning that the Commission would not allow the democratic will of the people to be subverted by fear or force. He said INEC was deeply concerned by reports of violence and threats in parts of the state, describing insecurity as a direct assault on the sanctity of the ballot.
Prof. Amupitan said the Commission had recalibrated its security strategy from reactive monitoring to proactive prevention, activating a robust synergy through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to deploy intelligence-led security measures to every polling unit and collation centre. He said INEC was working closely with the Police and the Armed Forces to protect its staff, materials and voters, and warned that any attempt to disrupt the election would be met with the full weight of the law.
On the theft of uncollected PVCs in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, and in Ife Central, the Chairman assured the public that the stolen cards were functionally inert, as no accreditation could take place without live biometric verification on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). He said serial numbers of the stolen cards were being blacklisted, law enforcement agents were closing in on the perpetrators, and affected voters were being issued replacement cards or authorised to download digital verification PVCs.
Prof. Amupitan said the Commission had integrated the Electoral Risk Management (ERM) framework into its planning to enable systematic collection, analysis and monitoring of risk indicators across the socio-political and security dimensions of the process. Working with ICCES and other stakeholders, he said, the Commission had mapped localised risk corridors, identified emerging threats and prioritised interventions, particularly in Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade Local Government Areas, which he described as hotspots that would receive specialised, high-visibility security deployment. He added that security forces had been issued strict operational directives to neutralise any form of violence or attempt at ballot disruption while maintaining absolute professional neutrality.
On vote buying, the INEC Chairman said the Commission was working in direct synergy 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 financial intelligence officers around polling unit perimeters. He warned that anyone caught buying or selling votes, whether through cash or digital transfers, would be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.
Amupitan said 4,427 BVAS devices, including a 15 per cent operational reserve, had been configured for the election, and that all polling unit result sheets would be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after voting closes. He announced that a statewide Mock Accreditation Exercise would hold on Saturday, 1 August 2026, across 12 Local Government Areas, four from each senatorial district, and invited candidates, party agents, observers and the media to witness the exercise.
He said the Commission had also integrated assistive devices across polling locations, including Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, EC40H posters for the hearing-impaired, and priority voting queues for persons with disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the NPC Chairman, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Cardinal John Onaiyekan appealed to political parties to conduct their campaigns peacefully and to honour the accord in both spirit and letter, describing it as more than a ceremonial ritual.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, Assistant Inspector-General Fasuba Akinyele Olabode assured residents of adequate police deployment across the state and pledged that officers would remain neutral throughout the process, drawing a comparison with the peaceful conduct of the Ekiti State election in June.
In his remarks, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, commended INEC’s independence and urged political actors to shun violence, describing Osun State as greater than the interests of any individual or party.
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, other Senior Management team from INEC, traditional rulers, religious leaders, representatives of civil society, and Security agencies.
The INEC Chairman and his entourage also made two quick stops at the INEC Osogbo LGA office, and Ede-South Local government office as part of the readiness assessment tour. They were received by the Electoral Officers and other staff of the LGA offices.