The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on journalists and media organisations in Osun State to play a more active role in combating vote buying ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, urging reporters to investigate and document electoral bribery in ways that can support prosecution and strengthen the credibility of the polls.
The charge was delivered on Tuesday during a One-Day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held in Osogbo, where the Commission underscored the critical role of the media in safeguarding electoral integrity and mobilising citizens for greater participation.
In a keynote address delivered on behalf of the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, INEC described vote buying as the most disturbing trend observed during the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.
According to the Commission, political actors and their agents reportedly distributed cash to voters at polling units, while others allegedly adopted more sophisticated methods by issuing numbered vouchers that were redeemed outside polling centres in a bid to evade security agencies and election observers.
Haruna stressed that journalists must move beyond merely reporting allegations by conducting detailed investigations capable of supporting law enforcement actions.
He urged editors to dedicate newsroom resources specifically to tracking vote-buying activities before, during and after election day, while encouraging field reporters to capture crucial details such as the identities of those involved, locations, amounts exchanged and the operational structure behind the transactions.
According to him, such evidence would strengthen ongoing collaboration between INEC and enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), in prosecuting electoral offenders.
The National Commissioner reminded stakeholders that the Electoral Act 2026 prescribes stiff penalties for vote trading under Section 22, including a minimum fine of ₦5 million, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, as well as a 10-year disqualification from contesting elective public office upon conviction.
INEC disclosed that it had substantially concluded preparations for the Osun governorship election.
The Commission said it had successfully screened candidates presented by the 14 political parties participating in the election and completed the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which added 381,817 new voters to the state’s register.
INEC also reaffirmed its readiness to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) across all 30 local government areas of Osun State to enhance transparency and credibility.
Haruna pointed to the Commission’s experience during the Ekiti governorship election, where BVAS reportedly recorded a 96 per cent functionality rate while IReV achieved a 98 per cent result-upload completion rate, expressing confidence that similar performance would be replicated in Osun.
He also expressed concern over declining voter participation across the country, noting that fewer than four out of every ten registered voters were accredited during the recent Ekiti governorship election.
The Commissioner therefore appealed to media organisations to intensify voter education campaigns, encourage greater electoral participation and educate citizens on the dangers of vote buying, while also promoting the use of IReV as a tool for independently verifying election results.
In her welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the media as an indispensable partner in Nigeria’s democratic process.
She commended journalists for their contributions to public enlightenment and objective reporting, while calling for sustained collaboration to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election.
Also speaking, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, represented by the Deputy Director of Information and Publicity, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, explained that the stakeholders’ forum was organised to strengthen collaboration between the Commission and media practitioners.
He said the engagement also provided an opportunity to update journalists on the Commission’s level of preparedness and clarify electoral procedures under the Electoral Act 2026 ahead of the polls.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, pledged the support of journalists in combating vote trading through responsible reporting and voter sensitisation.
He expressed optimism that lessons learned from the Ekiti governorship election would contribute to a more credible and successful electoral process in Osun.
