The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has appealed to traditional rulers in Osun State to use their influence to promote peace and discourage electoral violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Prof. Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, as he commenced a five-day readiness assessment tour of the state ahead of the off-cycle governorship poll.
The visit to the Ooni’s palace marked the INEC Chairman’s first official engagement upon arriving in Osun State. He was accompanied by National Commissioners, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), and other senior officials of the Commission, and was received by the Ooni alongside several traditional rulers from across the state.
Describing Ile-Ife as the ancestral home of the Yoruba people and a symbol of peace and cultural heritage, Amupitan said beginning his engagements at the palace underscored the importance of traditional institutions in ensuring credible and peaceful elections.
He officially informed the monarch that the Osun governorship election would hold on August 15, 2026, describing it as a crucial test ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He noted that presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Assembly elections in other states will take place on February 6, 2027.
According to the INEC Chairman, Osun State has 2,339,233 registered voters spread across 3,763 polling units in 332 registration areas covering the state’s 30 local government areas.
He urged political actors to shun violence and avoid treating the election as a do-or-die affair, stressing that no political office is worth the loss of human life.“The blood of one innocent person is not worth a governorship election. Nobody should be killed, threatened or embarrassed just because of an election,” he said.
Amupitan also warned against the dangers of misinformation, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence to spread false election results.
He further cautioned against vote-buying and assured stakeholders that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be fully deployed to ensure that only properly accredited votes are counted.
The INEC Chairman highlighted the Commission’s recent electoral activities, noting that since assuming office nine months ago, it has successfully conducted the Anambra, Ekiti and Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, as well as several by-elections across the country.
Responding, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, commended Prof. Amupitan’s leadership and expressed confidence in his ability to deliver a free, fair and credible election.
The monarch, however, raised concerns over growing political tension in the state, revealing that the issue had dominated discussions among traditional rulers before the INEC delegation arrived.
He urged the electoral umpire to remain impartial and ensure a transparent process that would inspire public confidence while appealing to politicians and their supporters to embrace peace before, during and after the election.
As a symbol of goodwill, the Ooni presented the INEC Chairman with an acrylic artwork made of bronze, preserved in the palace, to commemorate the visit.
Prof. Amupitan’s five-day working visit to Osun State will also feature an expanded stakeholders’ meeting and the signing of a peace accord by political parties and governorship candidates ahead of the August 15 election.