Osun 2026: National peace committee trains election observers

The National Peace Committee, operating through its secretariat The Kukah Centre, has conducted a training workshop for 45 field observers in preparation for the August 15 Osun State governorship election. This initiative, supported by the European Union and implemented in partnership with a Swiss-funded project, aims to enhance election security and compliance monitoring.

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The Kukah Centre is the secretariat for the National Peace Committee, and for years we have been implementing a series of activities that strengthen stakeholder engagement for the National Peace Committee.

Participants in the training were selected from all 30 local government areas of Osun State. The Kukah Centre plans to deploy multiple observers to areas identified as high-risk to ensure comprehensive coverage. The training is designed to equip these observers with the necessary skills to monitor and report on specific issues related to election security and the adherence of state institutions to neutrality.

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So we recruited 45 field observers, making sure that all of them are from Osun state and across the 30 local governments in the state. At least in each local government, we would have one or two field observers.

Project manager Vicham Hajara Waziri emphasized that the observers will be trained to report on issues of election security and compliance, with reporting forms specifically designed to capture relevant details. The Kukah Centre, as the secretariat for the National Peace Committee, has a history of implementing activities to strengthen stakeholder engagement for peace and good governance in Nigeria.

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The local governments that we have identified as high risks will have two, three, or four field observers there, and our expectations for them is after this training, they will be able to report on specific issues that the Kukah Centre and the NPC are interested in, which is election security.

NPC project manager Asabe Ndahi highlighted the critical role of early warning systems in preventing electoral violence and ensuring timely responses to emerging threats. She stressed that effective observation, credible data collection, and accurate reporting are vital components of peaceful democratic processes. The Kukah Centre, a policy research institute based in Abuja, has previously conducted analyses on the political, social, and security context of upcoming elections.

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Early warning systems remain critical tools for preventing electoral violence and ensuring timely responses to emerging threats.