The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged journalists in Osun State to intensify investigations into vote buying ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The call was contained in a statement issued during the one-day Media Stakeholders’ Forum organised by INEC in Osogbo on Tuesday, where the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, delivered a keynote address through the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola.
Haruna described vote buying as the biggest concern recorded during the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, saying reports showed that politicians and their agents openly induced voters with cash at polling units. He said some operatives also used numbered vouchers that were redeemed outside voting centres in a bid to avoid detection.
He reminded political actors that Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026 prescribes a minimum fine of N5 million, a prison term of up to two years, or both, for anyone convicted of vote trading. Convicted offenders also face a 10-year ban from contesting public office.
The National Commissioner urged media organisations to devote greater attention to exposing the practice before, during and after the election, calling on reporters to capture the identities of suspects, locations, amounts exchanged and the methods used in coordinating the illegal transactions.
He said such reports would strengthen enforcement efforts involving INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service.
Haruna also announced that the commission had completed major preparations for the Osun governorship poll, including the screening of candidates presented by the 14 political parties participating in the election. He disclosed that 381,817 new voters were registered during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would be deployed across all 30 local government areas of the state.
He said the commission was encouraged by the performance of the technology during the Ekiti governorship election, where BVAS achieved a 96 per cent functionality rate and IReV recorded a 98 per cent result upload rate.
Haruna also expressed concern over declining voter participation across the country, noting that fewer than four out of every 10 registered voters were accredited during the Ekiti poll. He appealed to media organisations to use their platforms to encourage greater voter participation, educate citizens on the dangers of vote buying and promote the use of IReV for result verification.
In her welcome address, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the media as a key partner in promoting democracy through balanced reporting and voter education. She appealed for sustained cooperation to ensure a peaceful 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, said the forum was organised to strengthen collaboration with journalists, brief them on preparations for the election and explain the commission’s procedures under the Electoral Act 2026.
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, pledged the support of journalists in tackling vote trading and mobilising eligible voters. He expressed optimism that the August 15 governorship election would deliver better outcomes than the recent Ekiti poll.
The Osun State governorship election is scheduled for August 15, 2026, with 14 political parties fielding candidates, including the incumbent governor.