The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Osun State has condemned reported incidents of alleged vote buying during the 2026 governorship election, describing the practice as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The Osun IPAC Chairman, Odesola Oluseye Titus, made the position known in a statement on Sunday following the conclusion of the election.
Titus said vote buying undermined the principles of democracy and fairness, urging political actors, electoral authorities and other stakeholders to take decisive steps to tackle the practice in future elections.
“Such action undermines the integrity of our democratic process and must be addressed to uphold the principles of democracy and fairness in our elections,” he said.
The IPAC chairman called on political parties and other stakeholders to remain committed to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system and ensuring that election outcomes genuinely reflected the wishes of voters.
“As we move forward, let us all remain committed to building a more robust electoral system that reflects the will of the people,” Titus said.
He also commended security agencies for their role during the election, saying their efforts contributed to maintaining peace and creating an environment in which citizens could exercise their franchise without fear.
Titus congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election, saying the outcome reflected the confidence placed in him by the people of Osun State.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Governor Ademola Adeleke on his impressive re-election victory. This commendable achievement reflects the confidence of the people of Osun in your leadership and vision for the state,” he said.
The IPAC chairman also commended voters across the state for turning out to participate in the election, while praising the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what he described as a free, fair, credible and conclusive exercise.
However, he urged INEC to address challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) ahead of subsequent elections.
Titus said resolving the technological challenges would further strengthen confidence in the electoral process and improve the credibility of future elections.
The call came amid concerns raised by political parties and other stakeholders over the performance of electoral technology during the Osun election, particularly the need to ensure that accreditation and result-management systems function efficiently throughout the voting process.
IPAC urged all stakeholders to draw lessons from the Osun election and work towards closing identified gaps in the electoral process, particularly vote buying and technological challenges, ahead of future polls.
