The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has assured that the August 8, 2026 governorship election in Osun State will be conducted peacefully and will not degenerate into violence.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, gave the assurance on Thursday during the INEC annual New Year prayer for 2026 held at the commission’s state office in Osogbo.
The assurance is coming even as INEC sets machinery in motion for the governorship election coming in August.
Agboke said INEC was making extensive preparations ahead of the governorship election and cautioned against narratives suggesting that the poll would be characterised by unrest.
“Stop saying Osun is going to be war; there is not going to be any war,” the REC said, while addressing staff of the commission.
He warned INEC staff in the state against any form of misconduct and urged them to carry out their duties strictly within the provisions of the law.
Agboke reminded staff of the commission’s mandate and cautioned them against allowing themselves to be used to disrupt the electoral process.
According to him, “Those who have the tendency to ask you to do illegality will be dealt with, and cooperating with them will have consequences.”
He disclosed that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise had been improved to detect cases of double registration, adding that this was part of measures to strengthen the credibility of the process.
“My appeal to all of you is please let us rise up and be ready to ensure the success of the process. On that day, all the Electoral Officers will take instructions from me,” he said.
The REC commended staff of INEC in Osun State for their performance, noting that the commission could not succeed without their cooperation and commitment.
“We cannot work and succeed without you. Support us. Let us manage ourselves between now and August,” he added.
Agboke also stated that INEC Osun conducted its duties professionally during the period of political party primaries in the state.
He noted that the current INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, was passionate about staff welfare and committed to improving working conditions across the commission.
In a separate meeting with Electoral Officers, EOs, Dr Agboke described them as critical to the success of INEC’s activities and custodians of the Commission’s operations at the local government level.
He charged them to closely monitor their staff and logistics, stressing that discipline and professionalism were essential, and added that national attention would be on Osun State following the Ekiti governorship election.
“We expect you to take charge of your offices and re-enact the commitment of your LG staff and come up with ideas that will help you and your staff make sure we have a very peaceful poll.
“Do not allow your name to be dragged to the mud. Know that your career and age is at stake. Do not allow anybody to ouch you up and down. As executive officers you should be able to show that professionalism,” he said.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
