Osun 2026: Observers Record 323 Irregularities, 38 Security Incidents by Noon
- Civil society observers flagged 323 electoral offences across 726 polling units in the Osun governorship election by midday Saturday
- Vote trading topped the list of reported breaches with 103 cases, while 38 security incidents included attacks on electoral officials
- Observers also recorded 58 BVAS device failures and delays in the arrival of election materials at several polling units
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Civil society groups monitoring the Osun State governorship election on Saturday reported 323 electoral offences and irregularities recorded across 726 polling units by noon, raising significant concerns about the conduct of the poll.
The findings came from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH), a coalition comprising Yiaga Africa, the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), the International Press Centre (IPC), the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), TAF Africa and The Kukah Centre (TKC). The group deployed 823 accredited observers across all 30 local government areas in the state.
Source: Twitter
Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre, presented the group's preliminary statement and attributed the findings to reports from both stationary and roving observers.
Breakdown of reported offences
Of the 323 offences logged, vote trading accounted for the highest share at 103 cases. Observers also recorded 85 cases involving the exposure of ballot papers, 38 cases of campaigning within polling units, 31 cases of voter obstruction, 28 cases of inducement involving polling and security officials, 14 cases of voter impersonation, 12 cases of multiple voting and seven cases of misconduct by election officials.
The Hub noted that these breaches occurred alongside what it described as generally peaceful and orderly voting in most locations.
Beyond electoral violations, the observers documented 38 security incidents, including 25 cases of thuggery, 12 attacks on electoral officials and nine instances of voter intimidation allegedly carried out by security personnel.
Three specific polling units were identified where security agents were accused of intimidating voters, including PU 29-10-10-005 at Igbon DC School in Ejigbo and two others in Osogbo.
"Although most of the security personnel exhibited professional conduct over the course of voting, there were some reported cases of voter intimidation by security agents," Arogundade said.
The Hub urged security agencies to remain neutral and maintain a visible but restrained presence at polling units and collation centres.
BVAS failures and delayed openings
The observers also noted operational setbacks. Of the 726 polling units covered, 608 (83.7%) had officials with a full complement of materials between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m., while 42 units only received personnel between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. One polling unit had still not opened by 11 a.m.
In addition, 58 BVAS devices malfunctioned, representing 7.9% of units observed. Of those, 41 were subsequently fixed, allowing accreditation to continue.
Participation by women and PwDs
Despite the reported problems, the observers said voter turnout was broadly inclusive. Women accounted for about 59% of voters in observed units, and over 70% of persons with disabilities (PwDs) showed up at the 12 designated PwD polling units observed. Women also made up 36% of polling officials.
The EU-SDGN EOH said it would release a full post-election report after results are officially declared.
Osun poll: Davido slammed for claiming restrictions
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a presidential aide and public commentator Bashir Ahmad, OON, pushed back against singer Davido after the musician raised concerns about restrictions on movement during the Osun State governorship election.
Ahmad, writing on his official X account under the handle @BashirAhmaad, addressed Davido directly and described his reaction as dramatic. He pointed out that security operators had widely publicised the movement restriction, which ran from 12 midnight until 6 PM on election day, covering Osun and its surrounding areas.
Source: Legit.ng
