OSUN POLL: CSOs URGE INEC, POLICE TO ENSURE CREDIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
Civil society organisations under the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties and voters to work towards ensuring a peaceful, credible and transparent Osun State governorship election on Saturday.
The coalition made the call on Friday at a pre-election world press conference in Osogbo, themed, “2026 Osun State Governorship Election: Demanding Credibility, Peace and Accountability.”
Represented by Engr. Uzoma Juliet Uchenna of the New Dimension Network for Peace Initiative, the group urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, and the commission to ensure that the election is conducted freely, fairly and transparently.
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The coalition specifically urged INEC to protect all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices from tampering and ensure they are properly tested and fully functional before deployment.
It also called for the deployment of trained technical personnel to polling units throughout the election, stressing that no voter should be disenfranchised because of equipment failure or a lack of technical support.
The organisations further appealed to Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, and the Nigeria Police Force to maintain neutrality, professionalism and non-partisanship throughout the electoral process.
They urged the police to prosecute anyone found using inflammatory statements, inciting violence or engaging in electoral malpractice, while warning against voter intimidation and interference with voters’ choices.
The coalition also called on political party agents to act responsibly by observing the electoral process rather than disrupting it, and to allow voters to cast their ballots freely without intimidation or inducement.
Election observers, both local and international, were urged to carry out their duties independently and professionally, with accurate reporting backed by photographic or video evidence where possible.
The group also appealed to Osun voters to participate actively in the election, vote according to their conscience and remain at their polling units until their votes are counted and uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
“There is no more manual accreditation. BVAS is the only means of accreditation. We urge voters to protect their votes and remain vigilant throughout the electoral process,” the coalition said.
The organisations described Saturday’s election as an important test of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the collective commitment of stakeholders to credible elections.
“The eyes of Nigeria and the world are on Osun. Let us make history for the right reasons—peace, credibility, and the will of the people,” the coalition added.
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