The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged journalists in Osun State to make vote buying a major focus of investigative reporting ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, saying detailed media reports will aid the prosecution of electoral offenders.
The call was made by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, during a one-day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held on Tuesday in Osogbo. His keynote address was delivered by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola.
Haruna described vote buying as the most disturbing trend observed during the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election, alleging that political actors and their agents openly induced voters with cash at polling units. He noted that in some instances, numbered vouchers redeemable outside polling centres were used to evade detection.
He urged media organisations to assign dedicated reporters to investigate vote trading before, during and after the election, stressing that reports should capture names of suspects, locations, amounts exchanged and the methods used to coordinate the illegal activities.
According to him, such reports would complement enforcement efforts involving INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The National Commissioner cited Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026, which prescribes a minimum fine of N5 million, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, for anyone convicted of vote trading. Convicted offenders are also barred from contesting public office for ten years.
Haruna disclosed that the Commission had concluded major preparations for the Osun governorship election, including the clearance of candidates from 14 political parties and the registration of 381,817 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) 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 to enhance transparency and credibility.
Drawing from the Ekiti election, Haruna said BVAS recorded a 96 per cent functionality rate, while IReV achieved a 98 per cent result upload completion rate, expressing confidence that similar performance would be replicated in Osun.
The INEC commissioner also expressed concern over declining voter turnout across the country, noting that fewer than four out of every 10 registered voters participated in the Ekiti governorship election.
He appealed to media organisations to intensify voter education campaigns, encourage citizens to participate in the electoral process and continue sensitising the public 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 credible elections through objective reporting and voter enlightenment.
She called for sustained collaboration between journalists and the Commission to ensure a peaceful, free and fair governorship election.
Also speaking, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, represented by the Deputy Director, Information and Publicity, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, said the stakeholders’ forum was organised to strengthen the Commission’s partnership with the media, provide updates on preparations for the election and clarify provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In his goodwill message, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, assured INEC of the support of journalists in combating vote buying and mobilising voters.
He expressed optimism that the August 15 governorship election would witness improvements over the Ekiti governorship poll.
The Osun State Governorship Election is scheduled to hold on August 15, 2026, with 14 political parties participating, including the ruling party and the incumbent governor seeking re-election.
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