The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged media practitioners in Osun State to make vote buying a major investigative priority ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, stressing that detailed reports from journalists could support the prosecution of offenders.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the call at a one-day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held on Tuesday in Osogbo.
Represented by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, Haruna described vote buying as the most disturbing development recorded during the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
He said political actors and their agents allegedly offered cash to voters at polling units, with some using numbered vouchers redeemable outside polling centres to avoid detection.
Haruna cited Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026, which prescribes a fine of not less than N5 million, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, as well as a 10 year disqualification from contesting public office for anyone convicted of vote trading.
He urged editors to dedicate resources to investigating vote buying before, during and after the election, while encouraging reporters to document names, locations, amounts exchanged and the operational pattern of offenders.
According to him, such reports would strengthen enforcement efforts involving INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Haruna also disclosed that the Commission had completed major pre-election preparations for the Osun governorship poll.
These include the successful screening of candidates from 14 political parties, the registration of 381,817 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, and plans to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) across the state’s 30 local government areas.
He said the performance of both technologies during the Ekiti governorship election, where BVAS recorded a 96 per cent functionality rate and IReV achieved a 98 per cent result upload completion rate, provided confidence for the conduct of the Osun election.
The National Commissioner, however, expressed concern over declining voter turnout nationwide, noting that fewer than four out of every 10 registered voters participated in the Ekiti governorship election.
He urged media organisations to intensify voter mobilisation efforts and sustain public enlightenment campaigns on the dangers of vote buying and the importance of verifying election results through the IReV portal.
Earlier, the Osun State REC, Mrs. Babalola, described the media as a critical partner in promoting democratic values through objective reporting and civic education, calling for continued collaboration to ensure a peaceful, credible and transparent governorship election.
Also speaking, INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, represented by the Deputy Director of Information and Publicity, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, said the forum was organised to strengthen the Commission’s relationship with media professionals, provide updates on preparations for the election and clarify INEC’s processes under the Electoral Act 2026.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, assured the Commission of the media’s support in combating vote trading and mobilising voters, expressing optimism that the August 15 governorship election would improve on the conduct and outcome of the recent Ekiti poll.
The Osun State governorship election is scheduled for August 15, 2026.
Fourteen political parties, including the Accord Party are fielding candidates in the election.
