The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has expressed confidence in the Commission’s preparedness for the August 15 governorship election in Osun State after inspecting key electoral facilities and reaffirming measures to guarantee a transparent and peaceful poll.
Prof. Amupitan made the assurance on Thursday during an inspection of the Commission’s local government offices in Osogbo and Ede South, where he assessed the availability of electoral materials, office infrastructure and the level of operational readiness ahead of the election. He was accompanied by a delegation of INEC National Commissioners and the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Oluwatoyin Babalola.
At the Osogbo Local Government office, one of the 10 local government areas designated as election hotspots, the INEC Chairman examined hardware, non-sensitive electoral materials and other logistics before receiving a briefing from the Electoral Officer, Kadri Saburi Adetunji, on preparations for the poll.
The inspection team later visited the Ede South Local Government office, where Electoral Officer Ogunjide Ololade assured the Chairman that preparations were on course, adding that Registration Area Centres (RACs) would be activated promptly while personnel would be deployed for field operations and monitoring. He also appealed for the construction of a perimeter fence to strengthen security around the office.
Earlier in Osogbo, Prof. Amupitan addressed political stakeholders at the signing of the Peace Accord for the governorship election, where he described the agreement as a solemn commitment to peaceful conduct rather than a ceremonial exercise.
He commended the National Peace Committee for its continued efforts in promoting democratic stability and urged political actors to uphold the spirit of the accord throughout the electoral process.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission had completed seven of the nine major activities outlined in its election timetable, describing the electoral body as operationally, technologically and logistically prepared for the exercise.
According to him, election arrangements cover all 30 local government areas and the Modakeke Area Office, spanning 332 Registration Areas and 3,763 polling units, with a certified register of 2,339,233 eligible voters following biometric verification.
On Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, he revealed that more than 322,000 newly registered voters, representing 62 per cent, had collected their cards. He announced that PVC collection at all local government offices had been extended until Friday, July 31, to enable more eligible voters obtain their cards, with security agencies maintaining surveillance around the collection centres.
Prof. Amupitan also highlighted enhanced security measures for the election, saying INEC had adopted an intelligence-driven strategy to prevent electoral violence. He identified Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade as areas that would receive additional security deployment because of their risk profile.
On the deployment of technology, he reiterated that accreditation would be conducted exclusively through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), with no provision for manual accreditation. He disclosed that 4,427 BVAS devices, including 664 backup units, had been configured for the election, while polling unit results would be uploaded electronically to the INEC Result Viewing Portal immediately after voting.
To validate the electoral technology before election day, the Commission will conduct a statewide mock accreditation exercise on August 1 across 12 selected local government areas spread across the state’s three senatorial districts.
The INEC Chairman also vowed to intensify efforts against vote-buying, revealing that the Commission would work 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 undercover financial intelligence officers around polling units.
He warned that anyone found engaging in vote-buying or vote-selling would be arrested and prosecuted in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
Appealing to political parties and candidates, Prof. Amupitan urged them to reject violence and inflammatory rhetoric, stressing that electoral victory should be determined solely by the ballot.
He expressed optimism that the August 15 governorship election would stand as another milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey, urging all stakeholders to work together to ensure a peaceful, credible and widely accepted outcome.
