Written by
hioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media practitioners in Osun State to intensify investigations and reporting on vote buying ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The commission said journalists have a key role to play in exposing electoral offences by documenting incidents of vote trading with details that can support prosecution.
The call was made by the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, during a one-day media stakeholders’ forum in Osogbo.
Represented by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, Haruna described vote buying as one of the major concerns emerging from the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
He alleged that some political actors and their agents offered cash and used other methods, including vouchers, to influence voters at polling units.
Haruna said the Electoral Act 2026 provides penalties for vote trading, including fines, imprisonment and disqualification from contesting public office.
He urged media organisations to dedicate resources to monitoring electoral activities before, during and after the election, adding that detailed reporting would assist enforcement agencies, including INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service.
The INEC National Commissioner also disclosed that preparations for the Osun governorship election had been completed, including the clearance of candidates from 14 political parties and the registration of 381,817 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
He added that 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.
Haruna said the performance of the technologies during the Ekiti election, where BVAS recorded a 96 per cent functionality rate and IReV recorded a 98 per cent result upload completion rate, would serve as a benchmark for the Osun election.
He also expressed concern over declining voter turnout, urging the media to support voter mobilisation and educate citizens on the importance of participating in elections and verifying results.
The Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the media as a critical partner in promoting credible elections through accurate reporting and public enlightenment.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Chapter, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, pledged the support of journalists in the state toward reducing vote trading and encouraging voter participation.
The Osun State Governorship Election is scheduled to hold on August 15, 2026, with 14 political parties expected to participate.