RismadarVoice Reporters, August 14, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which spoke as activities for the last off-cycle election before the 2027 general election climaxed, has pledged that the Osun State Saturday’s governorship election will be free, fair and transparent.
RismadarVoice reported that the ballot papers and result sheets arrived in Osogbo, the state capital and were sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office, from where they will be distributed to other parts of the state today.
The ballot papers and result sheets were reprinted following a court judgment which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put the name of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot, making it 15 candidates aspiring for the Osun State Governor seat, as the election will hold in 332 wards spread across 30 local government areas.
In a Statement by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, yesterday. “The Commission reassures political parties, civil society organisations, media and the good people of Osun State of its total readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election.”
INEC confirmed that 1,906,390 eligible voters out of the 2,339,233 registered voters in Osun State are qualified to vote.
Haruna said the figure represents the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected, representing 81.5 per cent, adding that, “The remaining 432,843 PVCs, representing 18.50 per cent, have been safely deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in line with the Commission’s established practice.
“Similarly, it should be noted that some persons with damaged, defaced or lost PVCs applied for replacement of their cards. A total of 6,101 among those who applied printed downloadable copies of their PVCs.
“A table of the PVCs collected, Polling Unit by Polling Unit (PU), has been published on the Commission’s website.”
The parties cleared to fight for the Abere Governor’s Office in Osogbo are Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Others are Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urged stakeholders, including candidates, party leaders, the electorate, security officers and INEC, to be committed to a credible and peaceful poll.
In the run-up to the election, there have been reports of violence leading to the death of no fewer than 30 people, according to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) tracking the situation.
Yesterday, the police confirmed that a nephew of the Director-General of the APC campaign organisation and member of the House of Representatives, Wole Oke, was shot dead in Esa-Oke.
The President, who reiterated his commitment to democracy, told the huge crowd at the APC grand rally at Freedom Park, Osogbo, the state capital, that the state would be better under the leadership of the party’s candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO).
President Tinubu, who was represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urged voters to vote for the APC to savour development and progress.
At the carnival-like rally were APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who presented the party flag and the symbol – the broom – to Oyebamiji; Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau; House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu; and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodinma (Imo State).
Also present were Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti); pioneer APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Senator Adams Oshiomhole; and APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru.
Also at the rally were Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat; his Delta counterpart, Monday Onyeme; Oyo APC governorship candidate, Senator Sarafadeen Alli; and Prof. Olu Aina.
A faction of Accord, on whose platform Governor Ademola Adeleke is running for re-election, stormed the rally to give support to the APC candidate.
Led by factional chairman Chris Imumolen, the Accord members described Oyebamiji as the best candidate.
However, Adeleke alleged the presence of unauthorised INEC officials and uncustomised ballot papers in the state, urging security agencies to be vigilant.
Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who recently led the Turaki group in the PDP to declare support for Oyebamiji, said he withdrew his support for Adeleke because of his lack of inclusive policies and programmes.
To prevent any breakdown of law and order, the police also beefed up security in Osogbo and vowed to arrest and prosecute anyone who violates the law.
