INEC Tasks Osun Media on Investigative Reporting Against Vote Buying Ahead of 2026 Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged media practitioners in Osun State to intensify investigative reporting on vote buying ahead of the August 15, 2026 Governorship Election, stressing that detailed documentation of electoral offences would support efforts to prosecute offenders.

The charge was delivered by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, during a One-Day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held in Osogbo, Osun State, on Tuesday. The keynote address was presented on his behalf by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.

Haruna described vote buying as one of the most disturbing developments witnessed during the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election, where political actors and their agents were allegedly involved in distributing cash to voters at polling units, including the use of vouchers reportedly designed to avoid detection.

He called on journalists to treat the issue as a major investigative priority before, during and after the Osun election, urging them to provide specific details such as names, locations, amounts exchanged and the networks behind such activities.

According to him, credible media reports would strengthen the enforcement efforts of relevant agencies, including INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service.

The INEC National Commissioner further cited provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 22, which provides penalties for persons convicted of vote trading, including a fine of not less than N5 million, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, as well as a 10-year ban from contesting elective positions.

Haruna also disclosed that the Commission had completed key preparations for the Osun governorship poll, including the clearance of candidates from 14 political parties, the registration of 381,817 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and plans for the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) across all 30 local government areas of the state.

He said the performance of the technologies during the Ekiti election, where BVAS recorded 96 per cent functionality and IReV achieved 98 per cent result upload completion, would serve as a benchmark for the Osun election.

The Commissioner, however, raised concerns over declining voter participation nationwide, noting that voter accreditation during the Ekiti election represented fewer than four out of every 10 registered voters. He encouraged media organisations to support voter mobilisation campaigns while educating citizens on the dangers of vote buying and the importance of election result verification through IReV.

In her remarks, the Osun REC, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the media as a critical partner in strengthening democracy through accurate reporting, voter education and public enlightenment.

She called for sustained collaboration between INEC and journalists to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible election process.

The INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, represented by the Deputy Director, Information and Publicity, Mr Wilfred Ifogah, said the forum was organised to deepen engagement with media professionals, provide updates on election preparations and improve understanding of the Commission’s processes under the Electoral Act 2026.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Chapter, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, pledged the support of journalists in the state toward combating vote trading and encouraging greater voter participation.

The August 15, 2026 Osun State Governorship Election will feature candidates from 14 political parties, including the incumbent governor, following preparations by INEC to deliver a credible electoral process.