Sensitive election materials have arrived in Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, as the Independent National Electoral Commission said it would draw ad-hoc personnel from a pool of more than 30,000 members of the National Youth Service Corps.

The development came as security agencies stepped up preparations for the poll, with no fewer than 25,310 personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deployed across the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, disclosed the commission’s planned deployment of NYSC members in a conversation with The PUNCH on Monday while giving an update on preparations for the August 15 election.

Oketola, however, said he could not provide the exact number of ad-hoc personnel to be engaged, adding that the commission would draw from a pool of more than 30,000 NYSC members for the poll.

“For number of ad-hoc staff, INEC will be pulling from a pool of over 30,000 NYSC members that we’re working with for the election,” he said.

He also disclosed that 2,339,233 voters were registered in Osun State but said he did not have the latest figure for voters who had collected their Permanent Voter Cards following the extension of the PVC collection exercise.

“Meanwhile, 2,339,233 voters are registered in Osun. So, I’m not sure, you know, we extended PVC collection. I don’t have the data of the number of PVC collected, you know, but for eligible voters, these are the people who are eligible to vote, 2,339,233,” he said.

On the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, Oketola said the materials were already in the state, assuring that deployment to local government areas and Registration Area Centres will begin on Thursday.

While explaining the commission’s logistics arrangements ahead of the election, Oketola said the commission would not disclose when the sensitive materials arrived in Osun for security reasons, stressing that they were already warehoused at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Right now, sensitive materials are already in Osun. Nobody will tell you when materials arrived Osun. What is most important is that they have arrived. You see, logistics is complex,” he stated.

He said the sensitive materials, including ballot papers, would be moved from the CBN to the local government offices on Friday, in line with the commission’s standard procedure.

“Well, that is the standard, by Thursday we start moving non-sensitive and I mean the remaining non-sensitive materials. The sensitive materials that are ballot papers and all of that will be moved on Friday from the CBN to the local government offices,” he said.

“The police, security agents, electoral officers will be invited to the CBN where sensitive materials such as ballot papers and BVAs will be distributed and moved to the local government offices.

“So, by Friday, RAC centres will open, sensitive materials will move to the RACs and non-sensitive materials will also be moved, including ad hoc staff and security agents. This is including all the vehicles that will move them on election day.”

Oketola said the arrangement was designed to ensure that personnel and materials were deployed on Election Day in time for the commencement of polling.

“This is to ensure that we are able to deploy men and materials on Election Day and then polling gap opens by 8.30am.”

He said the commission was also deploying generators, water tanks and other equipment to the state, noting that the materials could not all be transported at the same time.

“We are going to deploy generators in their numbers to Osun, They are going to deploy water tankers, I mean, water tanks and all sorts of materials, including sensitive materials. These things cannot get to Osun on the same day.”

Oketola said the sensitive materials, including ballot papers and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, had been secured at the CBN, adding that disclosing details of their movement could expose them to security risks.

“The sensitive materials, which are very critical, are warehoused in the CBN. Nobody in any country can tell you that this was when they brought them there. Do you know why? Do you know the number of printers they used? Would they be able to deliver all on the same day?”

He added, “This is logistics. And, of course, it is also about security. If we tell the public, I will tell you where and when they will be moved. Don’t you know they can be ambushed? So, what is most important is that those things are already in Osun.”

5,310 security personnel

No fewer than 25,310 security personnel have been deployed to Osun ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with the police, NSCDC and EFCC deploying personnel to secure the poll.

The deployment comprises 15,000 police officers, 10,210 NSCDC personnel and about 100 EFCC officers, according to separate announcements by the agencies.

The security build-up comes as 14 political parties prepare to contest the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

Among the candidates, three have emerged as prominent contenders based on their political strength and visibility: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress and Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress.

On Monday, the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Audi, ordered the deployment of 10,000 personnel from 10 neighbouring state commands to reinforce security operations across Osun.

The personnel are being drawn from the Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and Federal Capital Territory commands, with about 1,000 personnel from each command.

Deployment will complement the corps’ existing personnel in Osun and cover the state’s 30 local government areas, including polling units, electoral officials, observers, journalists and residents.

NSCDC spokesman, Afolabi Babawale, said specialised units, including the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad and K9 Unit, had also been deployed.

He said the units would support intelligence gathering, crime prevention, protection of critical infrastructure, crowd control and other election-related operations.

The NSCDC said its Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Operations, Ayuba Phillip, alongside designated Assistant Commandant-Generals and other senior officers, would relocate to Osun to supervise the corps’ election security operations.

Audi charged personnel to remain professional, neutral and respectful of citizens’ rights throughout the election.

He said, “As an agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting critical infrastructure and national assets, the safety and security of election materials and electoral officials are very critical alongside the electorates.

“You have the responsibility of ensuring unbiased synergy with other security agencies on election duty to actualise a free, fair and credible election.

Our personnel have been properly briefed on the need to be professional, neutral and respectful in the discharge of their duties.”

The NSCDC boss also warned political thugs and others planning to disrupt the election that they would face the law.

He said, “The NSCDC in collaboration with other security agencies on election duty will not tolerate any activity intended to jeopardise the election process; criminal-minded persons and political thugs willing to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election would face the wrath of the law as prescribed in the Electoral Act.”

The Nigeria Police Force had earlier announced the deployment of 15,000 personnel to Osun for the election, including officers to be stationed at polling units and other strategic locations.

Similarly, a senior EFCC official told The PUNCH that about 100 personnel would be deployed to the state to prevent vote buying and other forms of electoral inducement.

“Yes, we will be deploying officers to the state. About 100 of them will be on the ground to ensure that there is no inducement,” the source said.

Efforts to obtain further comments from the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful as calls to his telephone were not answered.

Soldiers take charge

Armed military personnel on Monday took up security duties at the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s governorship poll.

Our correspondent observed fully armed soldiers stationed in front of the office, while about three Armoured Personnel Carriers were also reported to have been deployed to reinforce security in the area.

Before Monday, anti-riot mobile policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps operatives were in charge of security at the INEC headquarters.

Security source close to the office said the military personnel arrived on Sunday and assumed security duties on Monday morning.

The source added that more police and NSCDC personnel would join the military in the coming days to further secure the area.

“They (soldiers) arrived yesterday (Sunday), but their numbers increased today (Monday). The soldiers are in charge now, but all other security personnel are at their duty posts too.

“In the next few days, the police and Civil Defence personnel will join. There are three Armoured Personnel Carriers brought by the soldiers too,” he said.

On INEC’s preparations for the poll, the Osun INEC Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode, said in a text message to our correspondent that the commission was fully ready for Saturday’s election.

“We are fully ready for the election on Saturday.

“Out of the 13 activities on the timeline of activities for the election, we have exhausted 12 and the last one is the day of the election. More so, the sensitive materials will be distributed on Thursday to various local governments,” he said.

IPAC urges restraint

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council has urged INEC and security agencies to ensure that Saturday’s election is free, fair and credible.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday after the council’s General Assembly meeting, IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the body was concerned about the rising political tension in Osun ahead of the poll.

Dantalle urged political actors to reduce inflammatory rhetoric and allow the election to focus on policies, programmes and ideas.

He said, “We urge all political actors to lower the temperature of political rhetoric and refrain from statements, threats, actions or counter-actions capable of aggravating tension or threatening the peace and stability of the State.”

He called on INEC to conduct the election with professionalism, independence, transparency and impartiality, while ensuring compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the commission’s guidelines.

Dantalle also urged the electoral commission to ensure equal treatment of all candidates and parties, prompt resolution of complaints and protection of the integrity of the electoral process.

He listed transparent accreditation and voting, timely distribution of electoral materials and accurate collation of results among the key responsibilities of INEC.

On security, the IPAC chairman said personnel deployed for the election must operate within their constitutional and statutory mandates and protect voters, candidates, party agents, electoral officials and election materials without discrimination.

He warned against using security agencies to suppress legitimate political activities or intimidate voters.

Dantalle also criticised the freezing of Osun State Government accounts by the EFCC, describing the action as “politically motivated” and capable of undermining the administration of the state.

He said financial investigations should not deny residents access to funds meant for salaries and essential public services.

The IPAC chairman further condemned vote buying, electoral violence and the alleged use of state institutions to intimidate political opponents.

He appealed to candidates, political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful competition and pursue grievances through lawful channels.

“Let us remember that democracy is not simply about who wins an election; it is about ensuring that the process through which the winner emerges is credible, transparent, legitimate and reflective of the will of the people,” he said. (The PUNCH)

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