Ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has appealed to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and other traditional rulers to use their influence to discourage political violence and promote peaceful conduct among politicians and their supporters.
Prof. Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Ooni’s palace in Ile-Ife, his first official engagement on arrival in Osun State for a five day readiness assessment ahead of the governorship election.
Leading a delegation of National Commissioners, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), and other senior officials, the INEC Chairman said peaceful, transparent and timely elections remain the hallmark of a successful electoral process.
He urged traditional rulers to impress upon political actors that the election should not be treated as a do-or-die affair.
“The blood of one innocent person is not worth a governorship election. Nobody should be killed or threatened or embarrassed just because of an election,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan also warned against vote buying, misinformation and disinformation, including the possible use of artificial intelligence to fabricate false election results.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), stressing that no vote would be counted without proper voter accreditation.
The INEC Chairman described Ile-Ife as the ancestral home of the Yoruba people and said the Commission deliberately began its stakeholder engagements at the palace in recognition of the institution’s historical and cultural significance.
He formally notified the monarch that the Osun governorship election would hold on August 15, 2026, describing it as a crucial dress rehearsal for the 2027 general election. According to him, Osun has 2,339,233 registered voters across 3,763 polling units in 332 registration areas covering the state’s 30 local government areas.
Responding, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, commended Prof. Amupitan’s leadership and expressed concern over the rising political tension in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers present, the monarch said the worsening atmosphere had dominated their deliberations before the INEC Chairman’s arrival.
He urged the Commission to remain impartial and ensure a free, fair and credible election, while calling on politicians and their supporters to embrace peace before, during and after the poll.
At the end of the visit, the Ooni presented Prof. Amupitan with an acrylic bronze artwork as a symbol of goodwill.
The visit is part of the INEC Chairman’s five-day programme in Osun State, which includes an expanded stakeholders’ meeting and the signing of a peace accord by political parties and their candidates ahead of the election.
