The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media practitioners in Osun State to place the fight against vote buying at the centre of their election coverage ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, urging journalists to produce investigative reports capable of supporting the prosecution of offenders.
INEC said detailed documentation of incidents, including identities of suspects, locations, amounts exchanged and the methods employed, would strengthen ongoing efforts to curb the growing menace and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
The charge was contained in a keynote address delivered by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, at a one-day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held on Tuesday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The address was presented on his behalf by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
Haruna described vote buying as the most disturbing development that emerged from the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, saying reports indicated that political actors and their agents openly induced voters with cash at polling units.
According to him, some operatives adopted more sophisticated methods by issuing numbered vouchers that could be redeemed outside polling centres in a bid to evade security surveillance and electoral monitoring mechanisms.
He cited Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026, which prescribes a minimum fine of N5 million, a prison term of up to two years, or both, for anyone found guilty of vote trading, in addition to a 10-year disqualification from contesting elective office.
“The media must move beyond merely reporting isolated incidents. Editors should dedicate resources to investigating vote buying before, during and after elections, while reporters should document names, locations, amounts involved and the structure of coordination behind such activities,” he said.
He noted that such evidence would complement ongoing enforcement efforts involving INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The National Commissioner further disclosed that the Commission had substantially concluded preparations for the Osun governorship election, including the screening and clearance of candidates sponsored by 14 political parties.
