The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared its readiness to conduct the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State, assuring political parties, voters and other stakeholders that all critical preparations have been completed to ensure a free, fair, credible and peaceful poll.
The assurance was given by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), at the Osun State Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum held in Osogbo.
According to the INEC Chairman, the Commission has concluded all major logistical, technological and operational arrangements necessary for the election and remains committed to delivering a transparent electoral process that reflects the will of the people.
To boost voter participation, Prof. Amupitan announced an extension of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise until Friday, July 31, 2026, to enable more eligible voters collect their cards before election day.
He disclosed that 322,822 newly registered voters, representing 62 per cent of eligible registrants, had already collected their PVCs.
The INEC Chairman also announced that a mock accreditation exercise would be conducted on Saturday, August 1, in 12 selected Local Government Areas to assess the functionality and efficiency of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) ahead of the election.
“The Commission has completed its logistical, technological and operational arrangements and is fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, credible and peaceful governorship election in Osun State,” Amupitan said.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Osun State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, described the stakeholders’ forum as the Commission’s final engagement with critical stakeholders before the election.
She said voter registration in the state had increased significantly from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233, reflecting growing public participation in the electoral process.
According to her, all 3,763 BVAS devices designated for the election have been configured, tested and fully charged, while 1,328 backup machines have been deployed to address any technical contingencies on election day.
Babalola added that non-sensitive election materials had already been distributed to the various Local Government Areas, while sensitive materials remained secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Osogbo pending deployment.
She further disclosed that the training of ad hoc personnel would take place between July 31 and August 9 to prepare election officials for their responsibilities.
Also speaking, the Supervising National Commissioner for Osun State, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, described the governorship election as a crucial test of Nigeria’s democratic process.
He said INEC had made substantial investments in election logistics, personnel training, voter education and technology to improve transparency and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
Ajayi warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against engaging in inflammatory rhetoric, voter intimidation, vote buying and other electoral offences.
“Anyone found violating the provisions of the Electoral Act will face the full weight of the law. Political parties and their supporters must conduct themselves peacefully and in accordance with the law,” he said.
He also urged security agencies, the media and civil society organisations to remain professional, impartial and committed to supporting a credible and peaceful governorship election.
The Osun State governorship election is scheduled to hold on August 15, 2026, with INEC expressing confidence that all arrangements are in place for a successful exercise.
