Osun poll: INEC warns troublemakers, vows to tackle vote buying

Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), issued a stern warning against electoral malpractice ahead of the Osun State governorship election. Speaking in Osogbo during the signing of a Peace Accord, Amupitan declared that anyone attempting to disrupt the August 15 election or participate in vote buying would face severe legal consequences.

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We will not allow the democratic will of the people to be subverted by fear or force. Insecurity is a direct assault on the sanctity of the ballot.

INEC has completed 11 of the 13 scheduled activities for the election, with only the end of campaigns and election day remaining. Amupitan emphasized the commission's commitment to preventing the subversion of democratic will, stating, "Insecurity is a direct assault on the sanctity of the ballot." The commission plans to deploy personnel across all 30 local government areas, covering 332 registration areas and 3,763 polling units.

The certified voter register includes 2,339,233 eligible voters, with 62 percent of newly registered voters having collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The collection deadline was extended to Friday, July 31. Addressing concerns about reported violence and threats, Amupitan highlighted INEC's shift to proactive security measures through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, involving intelligence-led operations with the police and Armed Forces.

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Any attempt to disrupt the election will be met with the full weight of the law.

Regarding the theft of uncollected PVCs in Okuku and Ife Central, Amupitan assured voters that the cards are unusable because accreditation requires live biometric verification. "The stolen cards are functionally inert," he stated, adding that their serial numbers are being blacklisted and affected voters are receiving replacements. INEC has identified high-risk areas, including Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun, and Oriade local government areas, where additional security will be deployed.

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The stolen cards are functionally inert. Their serial numbers are being blacklisted, security agencies are closing in on the perpetrators, while affected voters are being issued replacement cards or authorised to download digital verification PVCs.