The President of Adeleke University, Ede, Dr Deji Adeleke, has shifted the spotlight in Nigeria’s electoral integrity debate from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to officials who conduct elections at polling units.

He said meaningful reforms would remain elusive unless those entrusted with the process act with honesty.

Addressing graduates at the university’s 12th undergraduate and eighth postgraduate convocation in Ede, Osun State, Adeleke said the credibility of Nigeria’s elections rests largely on the conduct of officials deployed to polling units.

He argued that the integrity of the electoral process depends less on the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) than on the thousands of ad hoc officials and security personnel assigned to election duties across the country.

He alleged that some members of the National Youth Service Corps recruited as ad hoc staff and police officers assigned to election duties compromise the process by altering results after accepting financial inducements.

According to him, expecting the INEC chairman to guarantee transparent elections without the cooperation of field officials is unrealistic because the commission’s leadership cannot physically monitor every polling unit.

Drawing attention to the forthcoming Osun governorship election, Adeleke said the state alone has 3,763 polling units, making direct supervision by the electoral umpire impossible.

“People die, there is violence during elections. They have killed young people like you graduating today who might become adult staff of INEC, changing figures.

“You cannot blame that on the INEC chairman when youth corps members are collecting N50,000 and changing figures at the polling unit.

“Even if the INEC chairman is a spirit, is he going to be at all the polling units in Nigeria?

“Very soon we are going to have an election in Osun State. Osun State has 3,763 polling units. Is it humanly possible for the INEC chairman to be at all those polling units at the same time?

“But they have entrusted it to young people like you, and yet they will collect money and change the figures. We also have policemen with children who need a good country to have a future, aiding and abetting the rigging process, and people are killed just because of elections.

“So, it’s very painful when you see these things happen because of ignorance of the implications of what people do on election day or the ignorance of judges perverting justice. The implication is that Nigeria will continue to regret it if it doesn’t change immediately. But it’s not too late for us to change. It’s never too late to start all over.”

Meanwhile, Adeleke University announced another expansion of its academic offerings with the approval of two professional programmes by the National Universities Commission.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Adebola, disclosed that the university would commence admissions into Medicine (MBBS) and Pharmacy (Pharm.D) in the 2026/2027 academic session following regulatory approval.

He said the institution admitted 1,554 students during the 2025/2026 academic session and graduated 1,375 students across its undergraduate faculties and College of Postgraduate Studies.

Adebola identified Ejiofor Onyinyechukwu Sonia of Medical Laboratory Science and Kinosi Victor Oluwagbemiga of Economics as the best graduating undergraduates with perfect CGPAs of 5.00 each.

He also named Olunlade Joshua Oluwafisayo as the best Master’s graduate and Ukenyi Chibunna Godspower as the overall best PhD graduate before urging the graduands to embrace the opportunities and responsibilities that lie ahead. (Daily Trust)

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