RismadarVoice Reporters, August 17, 2026
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to jointly investigate alleged vote buying, inducement, violence and other electoral offences recorded during the Osun governorship election.
SERAP made the call in a petition dated August 15, 2026, following preliminary reports by the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub, which documented 323 electoral offences and irregularities across 726 polling units observed as of noon on election day.
The reported infractions included 103 cases of vote trading, 28 cases of inducement of polling and security officials, 31 cases of voter obstruction, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units and 85 cases involving exposure of ballot papers.
The observers also recorded 38 security incidents, including alleged thuggery, attacks on electoral officials and voter intimidation.
SERAP urged the three agencies to trace the sources and movement of funds allegedly used for vote buying and other unlawful electoral activities, while examining banking and mobile-money records, telecommunications data, CCTV footage and other relevant evidence.
The organisation also called for the investigation, arrest and prosecution, where appropriate, of persons suspected of financing or facilitating electoral offences.
SERAP said the investigation should determine whether the alleged incidents compromised the free exercise of voters’ rights and the credibility of the election.
It further urged the agencies to publish their findings and make relevant evidence available, where lawful, to competent electoral tribunals and other accountability mechanisms.
