The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called on political parties in Osun State to demobilise violence and allow the ballot box to determine the outcome of the August 15 governorship election.

Prof. Amupitan made the call on Thursday in Osogbo during the formal signing of the Osun State Governorship Election Peace Accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) chaired by former Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The INEC Chairman said the Peace Accord was not a mere administrative ceremony but a moral treaty signed before the citizens of the state and the global community.

“By signing this Peace Accord today, we are sending a powerful, unambiguous message to our citizens: that democracy thrives when peace prevails… Let us work together to ensure that Saturday, 15th August 2026, is remembered not for division or discord, but as a triumph of the Nigerian democratic spirit.”

Prof. Amupitan said INEC’s operational readiness for the poll was advanced.

“Out of the nine scheduled activities specified in our Timetable and Schedule of Activities, seven have been successfully executed… We are now left with only two final milestones: the conclusion of public campaigns on Thursday, 13th August 2026, and the opening of polls on Saturday, 15th August 2026.”

He disclosed that deployment will cover 30 LGAs and the Modakeke Area Office, spanning 332 wards and 3,763 polling units. Following ABIS cleaning, the certified Register of Voters stands at 2,339,233 eligible citizens.

The Chairman expressed deep concern over reports of violence and threats in the state.

“We cannot ignore the shadow that insecurity casts over our preparations for the Osun election… Let me be clear: we will not allow the democratic will of the people to be subverted by fear or force. We are proactively deploying intelligence-led security measures to every polling unit and collation centre. We will meet any attempt to disrupt this election with the full, unyielding weight of the law.”

He said through ICCES, INEC had mapped localised risk corridors and identified hotspots including parts of Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun, and Oriade LGAs for specialised, high-visibility security deployment.

Addressing incidents in Okuku and Ife Central involving theft of uncollected PVCs, Prof. Amupitan reassured voters.

“Stolen PVCs are functionally inert. Without live biometric verification on the BVAS, a stolen card cannot accredit anyone. Serial numbers of all stolen cards may be blacklisted, law enforcement is closing in on the perpetrators, and affected voters are being issued replacement cards.”

He stressed that biometric verification via BVAS remains the sole statutory means of accreditation. “A total of 4,427 BVAS devices — including a 15% operational reserve of 664 backup units — have been customised for Osun State. All polling unit result sheets, Form EC8A, will be scanned and uploaded directly to IReV as soon as voting closes.”

He said INEC will conduct a statewide Mock Accreditation Exercise on Saturday, 1st August 2026 across 12 LGAs, four per senatorial district.

“We are testing our strength, refining our tools, and ensuring that by the time the first voter arrives at the polls, our system is not just ready, but infallible,” he said.

On vote-buying, he announced a joint operation with EFCC, ICPC and the Attorney-General’s Office.

“Plainclothes financial intelligence will saturate polling unit perimeters. Anyone attempting to buy or sell votes — whether through physical cash or digital transfers — will be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.”

Prof. Amupitan urged candidates to respect traditional rulers and rein in supporters.

“It is not the signatures written today that preserve democracy; it is the character of the leaders who hold the pen. If campaigns are characterised by incitement, private armed squads, or subversion, the process is compromised long before the first ballot is cast… Leadership won at the expense of human life and public safety is a hollow victory. Demobilise the use of violence, curb inflammatory rhetoric, and let the ballot box alone decide.”

He said INEC had integrated assistive devices including Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, EC40H posters, and Priority Voting Queues for PWDs, pregnant women and the elderly. (Nigerian Tribune)

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