The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has assured Nigerians that the Commission is fully prepared to conduct a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State on August 15, declaring that no amount of violence or intimidation would be allowed to undermine the democratic process.
Speaking at the formal signing of the Osun State Governorship Election Peace Accord in Osogbo on Thursday, Amupitan said INEC had concluded seven out of the nine activities contained in its election timetable and had activated comprehensive operational, technological and security arrangements to guarantee the integrity of the poll.
The Peace Accord was facilitated by the National Peace Committee and attended by its Chairman and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Convener, Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Governor of Osun State, leaders of the 14 political parties participating in the election, security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and members of the diplomatic corps.
Amupitan described the Peace Accord as more than a ceremonial event, saying it represented a moral covenant before the people of Osun and the international community.
He praised the National Peace Committee for its sustained role in promoting electoral stability across Nigeria, noting that the peace accord initiative had become an integral part of off-cycle governorship elections since it was first extended to such polls in Edo State in 2020.
According to him, experience has consistently shown that when political leaders honour their commitments under the accord, election-related violence is significantly reduced.
the INEC Chairman disclosed that only two activities remain before election day the conclusion of campaigns on August 13 and the conduct of the governorship election on August 15.
He said the election would be conducted across all 30 local government areas of Osun State and the Modakeke Area Office, covering 332 registration areas and 3,763 polling units.
he announced that the state’s certified register now contains 2,339,233 eligible voters.
Amupitan also revealed that 322,822 newly registered voters, representing 62 per cent, had collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
he also said INEC had extended PVC collection at all local government offices until Friday, July 31, with security agencies providing adequate protection around collection centres.
The INEC Chairman acknowledged reports of political violence and threats in parts of Osun State, describing insecurity as one of the greatest dangers to credible elections.
He stressed that the Commission had shifted from reactive security monitoring to proactive prevention through intelligence-driven collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
“We will not allow the democratic will of the people to be subverted by fear or force,” Amupitan declared.
He said INEC, in collaboration with the police and the armed forces, had developed a comprehensive security strategy to safeguard election personnel, materials and voters.
He warned that anyone attempting to disrupt the election would face the full weight of the law.
Addressing public concerns over the theft of uncollected PVCs in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, and Ife Central, the Commission reassured voters that the stolen cards posed no threat to the integrity of the election.
Amupitan explained that stolen PVCs were useless without successful biometric verification through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
He disclosed that the serial numbers of the missing cards could be blacklisted, while affected voters were already being issued replacement cards or authorised digital verification PVC downloads.
Amupitan announced that manual accreditation would not be permitted under any circumstance.
He said a total of 4,427 BVAS devices, including 664 backup units representing a 15 per cent operational reserve, had been configured specifically for the Osun governorship election.
He added that polling unit result sheets (Form EC8A) would be scanned and uploaded directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after voting.
the Commission announced that a statewide mock accreditation exercise would be conducted on Saturday, August 1, across 12 selected local government areas representing the state’s three senatorial districts.
The exercise will cover Osogbo, Olorunda, Ifelodun and Boripe in Osun Central; Ilesa West, Ilesa East, Oriade and Obokun in Osun East; and Egbedore, Ede North, Ede South and Ejigbo in Osun West.
Amupitan invited political parties, election observers, civil society organisations and journalists to witness the exercise, describing it as the Commission’s final operational test before election day.
The INEC Chairman insisted that the Commission remained completely impartial and was interested only in ensuring a lawful electoral process.
He said INEC had strengthened its logistics, improved its technology and reinforced its result management procedures to eliminate systemic weaknesses.
However, he stressed that institutional preparedness alone would not guarantee a successful election unless political actors demonstrated restraint and responsibility.
“It is not the signatures written today that preserve democracy; it is the character of the leaders who hold the pen,” he said.
Amupitan said traditional rulers had expressed deep concern over rising political tension in the state.
He urged candidates to ensure that the spirit of the Peace Accord filtered down to ward executives, polling agents and grassroots supporters.
He warned that political victory achieved through violence or intimidation would ultimately be meaningless.
The Commission also disclosed that it had fully integrated its Electoral Risk Management framework into preparations for the election.
According to Amupitan, INEC and security agencies have identified potential flashpoints and mapped localised risks across vulnerable areas, including Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade local government areas.
He said these locations would receive enhanced security deployments while security personnel had been instructed to maintain strict neutrality while responding decisively to any attempts to disrupt voting.
The Commission also announced an intensified crackdown on vote buying.
Amupitan disclosed that undercover financial intelligence officers from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation would be deployed around polling units.
He warned that anyone caught buying or selling votes, whether through cash transactions or electronic transfers, would be arrested and prosecuted under the Electoral Act 2026.
Amupitan said INEC had deployed assistive devices, including Braille ballot guides for visually impaired voters, magnifying glasses for persons with low vision, EC40H posters for voters with hearing impairments and priority voting arrangements for persons with disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly.
he challenged political parties and civil society groups to mobilise citizens peacefully to participate in the election.
Describing Osun as the “Land of Virtue,” the INEC Chairman appealed to all stakeholders to preserve the state’s democratic reputation by ensuring a peaceful election.
He expressed optimism that the Osun governorship poll would become a model of democratic maturity and serve as an important foundation for preparations towards the 2027 General Election, when INEC expects to engage about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel nationwide.
Amupitan concluded by urging all political parties, candidates and supporters to faithfully implement both the letter and spirit of the Peace Accord, expressing hope that the August 15 election would be remembered as a triumph of democracy rather than a contest marked by violence and division.
