The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has assured the people of Osun State of a credible governorship election on August 15, urging political actors to allow the ballot to determine the winner.
Speaking on Thursday at the signing of the Peace Accord in Osogbo, Amupitan said the commission had completed seven of the nine activities outlined in its election timetable.
He said INEC’s deployment would cover all 30 local government areas and the Modakeke Area Office, with operations spanning 332 Registration Areas and 3,763 Polling Units.
“Following the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), the certified Register of Voters stands at 2,339,233 eligible citizens,” he said.
The INEC chairman disclosed that 322,822 newly registered voters, representing 62 per cent, had collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), adding that the collection exercise had been extended to Friday, July 31, 2026.
A total of 15 political parties will participate in the election. They are: PDP – Ademola Adeleke; Accord – Adeleke Ademola; AA – Olarewaju Farinloye; AAC – Esan Olajide; ADC – Salaam Najeem; ADP – Adeagbo Opawoye; APC – Bola Oyebamiji; APGA – Adeyemi-Doro Adesina; APM – Adebayo Adewale; APP – Adesuyi Clement; BP – Adeleke Adesoji; NNPP – Adeleke Taofeek; PRP – Saliu Oyelami; YPP – Ogunsakin Enoch; and ZLP – Adesuyi Olufemi.
On security, Amupitan said intelligence-led measures would be deployed across all polling units and collation centres to ensure a peaceful exercise.
“We are proactively deploying intelligence-led security measures to every polling unit and collation centre. We will meet any attempt to disrupt this election with the full, unyielding weight of the law,” he said.
He identified 10 local government areas as potential flashpoints: Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Ifelodun, Oriade and Osogbo.
Reaffirming the commission’s neutrality, Amupitan said INEC was committed only to conducting a lawful and transparent process.
“Let me state unequivocally that INEC does not look for a particular outcome; we are interested only in a lawful process,” he said.
He also cautioned politicians against violence and inflammatory rhetoric, stressing that “leadership won at the expense of human life and public safety is a hollow victory,” and urged all contestants to allow the ballot box to decide the outcome.
Among dignitaries at the Peace Accord signing were retired Gen. Martins Agwai, representing the Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Rev. Attah Barkindo; INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN); and AIG Fasuba Olabode, representing the Inspector-General of Police.
