RismadarVoice Reporters
August 1, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is fully prepared for the August 15 Osun State Governorship Election, assuring voters that the democratic process will be protected from violence, intimidation and other electoral threats.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance during a media briefing at the end of a five-day readiness assessment tour of Osun State, following the commission’s statewide mock accreditation exercise across the three senatorial districts.
Professor Amupitan said the exercise successfully tested the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and confirmed the commission’s technological and operational preparedness for the election.
He explained that the mock accreditation recorded faster voter verification through facial recognition technology, while minor technical issues encountered were promptly resolved by the Commission’s Information and Communication Technology team.
To enhance election-day operations, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the number of BVAS devices had been increased from 4,427 to 5,130, while backup machines were doubled from 664 to 1,328 to ensure seamless accreditation.
He said 2,339,233 registered voters are expected to vote across 3,763 polling units in 332 wards spread across the state’s 30 local government areas, adding that the training of 16,374 ad hoc staff is nearing completion.
Professor Amupitan further revealed that all 14 political parties participating in the election had signed the Peace Accord brokered by the National Peace Committee.
On security, he said the Commission, in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), had developed intelligence-driven strategies to secure identified flashpoints and curb electoral offences, including vote buying.
The INEC Chairman also disclosed that the Commission held consultations with traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife and the Ataoja of Osogbo, as well as transport unions, while inspections confirmed that non-sensitive election materials had already been deployed to local government offices.
He called on journalists to support the electoral process by verifying information before publication and avoiding the dissemination of misinformation capable of undermining public confidence in the election.
