INEC dismisses ghost, hired voters claims in Osun election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly refuted allegations of ghost and hired voters participating in the Osun State governorship election. INEC officials assert that the implementation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) rendered such fraudulent activities impossible during the electoral process.

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We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true.

Dayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, urged Nigerians to exercise caution regarding unverified information and videos circulating online post-election. "We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true," Oketola stated. He emphasized that with BVAS in use, "there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters" as accreditation is mandatory for voting in a specific polling unit.

Oketola's remarks followed the August 15 election, which saw Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party declared the winner with 511,067 votes, defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who garnered 444,815 votes. INEC recorded a voter turnout of 50.116%, a figure Oketola described as a significant improvement compared to other recent off-cycle elections in Nigeria.

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With BVAS in play for any election in Nigeria, there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters.

"When people do not turn out to vote, they give their voice to the minority," Oketola noted, acknowledging the persistent issue of voter apathy in Nigerian elections. However, he highlighted Osun's performance as a record-breaker since 2015 for major off-cycle elections. "This shows that when solid preparedness meets collective resilience on the part of the electorate, people turn out. The lesson is to plan very well, get your planning and logistics right," he added.

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When people do not turn out to vote, they give their voice to the minority.

Furthermore, Oketola characterized the peaceful conclusion of the election, despite pre-poll tensions, as a reflection of Nigeria's maturing democracy. "For me, this marks a consistent level of maturity for Nigeria’s democracy," he stated, reaffirming INEC's commitment to conducting elections strictly within the legal framework, ensuring they are free, fair, credible, and inclusive.

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This shows that when solid preparedness meets collective resilience on the part of the electorate, people turn out. The lesson is to plan very well, get your planning and logistics right.