The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 2,339,233 registered voters will participate in the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure during a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, at the commencement of his five-day readiness assessment tour of the state ahead of the poll.

According to him, the registered voters are spread across 3,763 polling units in 332 registration areas covering the state’s 30 local government areas.

Amupitan described the election as a critical test for the commission ahead of the 2027 general election, saying every necessary arrangement was being put in place to ensure a credible, peaceful and transparent exercise.

“The Osun governorship election is a very important election because of its proximity to the 2027 general election. We are determined to ensure that the process is free, fair and credible,” he said.

The INEC chairman said the commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation, stressing that only accredited voters would be allowed to cast their ballots.

He also reassured stakeholders that the commission remained committed to conducting an election that reflected the wishes of the electorate.

Amupitan, who led a delegation of National Commissioners, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Osun State and other senior officials of the commission to the palace, appealed to traditional rulers to mobilise support for peaceful conduct before, during and after the election.

He urged them to prevail on politicians and their supporters to shun violence, vote-buying and other electoral offences capable of undermining the credibility of the poll.

“The blood of one innocent person is not worth a governorship election. Nobody should be killed, threatened or intimidated because of an election,” he said.

The INEC chairman also warned against the spread of misinformation and disinformation, including the misuse of artificial intelligence to circulate fake election results and misleading information capable of causing public anxiety.

Responding, the Ooni of Ife commended the INEC chairman for engaging traditional rulers ahead of the election but expressed concern over the growing political tension in the state.

The monarch urged the electoral umpire to remain impartial and ensure that the election was free, fair and acceptable to all stakeholders. (Daily Trust)

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