As Osun prepares to elect its next governor, election observers are sounding the alarm over several issues that could affect the credibility of Saturday’s poll. Yiaga Africa has identified security, BVAS challenges, vote buying and late court interventions as major concerns.
At a pre-election press conference in Osogbo, the Chair of the Yiaga Africa Osun Election Observation Mission, Asmau Maikudi, and the organisation’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, said the election will be a major test of Nigeria’s electoral preparedness ahead of the 2027 general election.
The group expressed concern over the late inclusion of the Social Democratic Party candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, following a court ruling, saying the decision forced INEC to reprint ballot papers and result sheets, leaving less time for the distribution of sensitive materials.
Yiaga Africa also raised concerns over election-related violence, citing attacks on electoral activities, political clashes and inflammatory rhetoric. It urged security agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of violence and hate speech without political interference.
The organisation further highlighted technical challenges recorded during INEC’s mock accreditation exercise, including difficulties with fingerprint and facial recognition on some BVAS devices. It warned that unresolved issues could lead to delays and voter disenfranchisement.
Vote buying was also identified as a major threat, with Yiaga Africa saying it documented the distribution of cash and gifts by political actors in some communities.
The group called on INEC to address outstanding technical and logistical challenges, while urging political parties and their supporters to respect the peace accord and avoid actions capable of undermining the election.
Yiaga Africa says it will deploy observers across all 30 local government areas to independently monitor the poll and verify results, describing the Osun election as a critical test of Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of 2027.
