Abayomi Susan
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has raised concerns over the conduct of the Osun State governorship election, highlighting issues surrounding the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), vote-buying and election security.
The concerns come as voters across the state participate in the governorship election, with stakeholders closely monitoring the process for transparency, credibility and compliance with electoral guidelines.
On technology, stakeholders have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that adequate BVAS devices and trained personnel are available, particularly at polling units with large numbers of registered voters. Concerns have previously been raised over possible delays in accreditation if the available machines are insufficient.
INEC had announced preparations for the election, including the deployment of 4,427 BVAS devices, comprising 3,763 primary units and 664 backup devices, to support accreditation across the state.
Vote-buying has also remained a major concern surrounding the election. Civil society groups and electoral stakeholders have repeatedly warned against the practice, which they say could undermine the ability of voters to freely choose their preferred candidates.
Security has equally remained a key area of attention, following concerns raised ahead of the poll over possible disruptions and political tensions. Stakeholders have urged security agencies to remain professional, neutral and vigilant while protecting voters, election officials and electoral materials.
The Situation Room’s concerns reflect broader calls for all stakeholders—including INEC, political parties, security agencies, observers and voters—to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
As collation and reporting of results proceed, attention will remain on the functionality of electoral technology, compliance with voting procedures, security at polling and collation centres, and whether voters are allowed to freely exercise their franchise without intimidation or inducement.
