Osun election: Tensions may suppress voter turnout, warns Yiaga Africa

Tensions ahead of Nigeria's Osun governorship election could discourage voters, a civil society organization warned Thursday. Yiaga Africa expressed concern that the prevailing atmosphere might prevent citizens from exercising their franchise.

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The electoral umpire had undertaken key preparatory activities across the 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.

Dr. Asmau Maikudi, Chairperson of Yiaga Africa's Osun Election Observation Mission, stated at a press conference that while election preparations were broadly on track, the credibility of the process hinges on the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) performance on election day. She emphasized the need for a peaceful environment, free from fear and intimidation.

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Election-day credibility will depend on timely deployment, reliable technology, consistent application of the law and effective contingency planning.

Maikudi highlighted several issues that could impact turnout and fairness. These include disruptions to voter card collection in two local government areas, potentially disenfranchising voters with limited access to digital services for obtaining electronic cards. Furthermore, incidents of politically linked violence, hate speech, and attacks on electoral facilities in the weeks leading up to the election have heightened security risks.

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This increases the risk of voter disenfranchisement.

Yiaga Africa called for intelligence-led, impartial security deployment to protect electoral personnel, facilities, and voters. The organization stressed that security agencies must investigate and prosecute electoral violence and related offenses without regard to political affiliation, urging all stakeholders to foster a conducive environment for a credible election.

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Yiaga Africa expressed concern over the escalation of incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors. Such rhetoric could legitimise violence, deepen partisan hostility and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.