The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has declared that no citizen of Osun State should lose his or her life over the forthcoming governorship election, assuring residents that comprehensive security arrangements have been put in place to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible poll on August 15.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanikpekun, as part of his election readiness tour on Friday, Amupitan appealed to political actors, traditional rulers and the electorate to embrace peace, warning that violence would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
He disclosed that INEC had already held strategic engagements with the Police, the Minister of Defence and the nation’s Service Chiefs to ensure adequate security deployment across the state before, during and after the election.
“No Osun citizen’s blood is worth this election,” the INEC Chairman declared, urging the Ataoja to use his revered position to preach peace and caution politicians against inflammatory rhetoric capable of triggering unrest.
According to him, the Osun governorship election carries national significance as the last off-cycle governorship poll before the 2027 general elections, making it a critical test of the country’s electoral system.
He said INEC was determined to deliver a transparent election that would strengthen public confidence in the electoral process and urged voters not to be intimidated by rumours or politically motivated misinformation.
Amupitan revealed that the Commission extended the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise beyond its original July 28 deadline after discovering that fewer than 70 per cent of registered voters had collected their cards.
He noted that Osun currently has more than 2.3 million registered voters eligible to participate in the election.
the INEC Chairman announced that the Commission would conduct a mock accreditation exercise in selected local government areas across the state’s three senatorial districts.
He also raised concerns over the circulation of fake videos and misinformation aimed at discouraging voter participation, recalling how a video from 2011 was recycled during the FCT Area Council election and falsely presented as a recent incident.
The Commission, he said, was working closely with security agencies to safeguard election personnel, voters, sensitive materials and INEC facilities while proactively preventing any attempt to disrupt the electoral process.
Responding, the Ataoja of Osogbo commended the INEC Chairman for paying homage to the traditional institution, describing the visit as a demonstration of respect and commitment to stakeholder engagement.
The monarch pledged the support of traditional rulers in promoting peaceful conduct before and during the election, while urging INEC to ensure a level playing field for all political parties and candidates.
Amupitan met transport unions engaged for election logistics, warning them against partisanship and directing them to ensure the timely deployment of personnel and election materials.
He later addressed Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) undergoing training in Osogbo, cautioning them against being influenced by politicians or delaying the distribution of election materials.
The INEC Chairman instructed the officers to ensure all personnel and materials arrive at polling units by 7:30 a.m. to enable voting to commence promptly at 8:30 a.m., stressing that they must strictly comply with the Commission’s guidelines throughout the exercise.
He assured the officers that outstanding performance would be recognised by the Commission, while reiterating that professionalism, neutrality and punctuality remained critical to the successful conduct of the Osun governorship election.
