The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on journalists in Osun State to intensify investigative reporting on vote buying ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, saying detailed documentation of electoral offences is critical to securing the prosecution of offenders.
The appeal was made by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, in a keynote address delivered at the One-Day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held on Tuesday in Osogbo. The address was read on his behalf by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola.
Haruna described vote buying as the most disturbing feature of the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election, alleging that political actors and their agents induced voters with cash at polling units and, in some instances, distributed numbered vouchers redeemable outside polling centres to evade security scrutiny.
He reminded participants that Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026 prescribes a minimum fine of N5 million, a prison term of up to two years, or both, as well as a 10-year disqualification from contesting public office for persons convicted of vote trading.
The National Commissioner urged editors to dedicate resources to investigating vote buying before, during and after the election, while charging reporters to capture names, locations, amounts exchanged and the methods employed by perpetrators.
According to him, such reports would complement the enforcement efforts of INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Haruna disclosed that the Commission had concluded major preparations for the Osun governorship election, including the clearance of candidates from 14 political parties, the registration of 381,817 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and plans to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) across all 30 local government areas of the state.
He noted that the technologies performed impressively during the Ekiti governorship election, with BVAS recording a 96 per cent functionality rate and IReV achieving a 98 per cent result upload completion rate.
The INEC National Commissioner also expressed concern over declining voter turnout nationwide, noting that fewer than four in every 10 registered voters participated in the Ekiti election.
He urged media organisations to step up voter education by encouraging citizens to participate in the electoral process, reject vote buying and verify election results through the IReV portal.
In her welcome remarks, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the media as a critical partner in promoting democratic values through objective reporting and voter education.
She called for sustained collaboration between INEC and journalists to ensure a peaceful, credible and transparent governorship election.
Also speaking, INEC’s 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 practitioners, provide updates on preparations for the election and clarify its procedures under the Electoral Act 2026.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, pledged the support of journalists in combating vote buying and mobilising voters ahead of the election.
He expressed optimism that the August 15 governorship election would record improved outcomes compared with the recent Ekiti poll.
The Osun State governorship election is scheduled for August 15, 2026, with 14 political parties fielding candidates, including the incumbent governor.
