The Imole Campaign Council, coordinating the re-election campaign of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address what it described as shortcomings observed during recent elections ahead of the August 15 governorship poll in the state.
The Director-General of the campaign council, Lere Oyewumi, made the appeal while addressing journalists in Osogbo on Monday, saying lessons from recent off-cycle and by-elections should guide preparations for the Osun governorship election.
Oyewumi alleged that during recent elections in Ogun, Oyo, Jigawa and Ekiti states, individuals suspected to be “mercenary voters” were issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) shortly before polling day.
He also claimed that some elections were marred by shortages of ballot papers and other sensitive materials, while alleging that pre-thumbprinted ballot papers surfaced during the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
The campaign council further expressed concern over technical challenges involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which it said affected the conduct of elections in Ekiti State and the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls.
Oyewumi also alleged that some political parties that did not participate in elections in Anambra, Ekiti and the FCT appeared on ballot papers and result sheets.
Speaking specifically about the forthcoming Osun governorship election, he claimed the council had received reports suggesting that some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had boasted about the alleged preloading of BVAS machines ahead of the poll.
“We have been inundated with boastful statements reportedly made by some Osun APC leaders about preloading BVAS machines ahead of the governorship election in the state,” Oyewumi said.
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He described the allegation as a serious threat to the credibility of the electoral process if proven, warning that any attempt to manipulate electronic voter accreditation would undermine public confidence in the election.
The campaign council also raised concerns over INEC’s ongoing distribution of new PVCs, urging the electoral commission to ensure that the exercise is transparent and accessible to all eligible voters.
“We have been notified about the commencement of the distribution of new PVCs by INEC. However, we have serious concerns about the transparency of the process, and we hereby warn that any move to disenfranchise Osun voters by withholding their PVCs will not be tolerated,” Oyewumi stated.
He insisted that PVC collection should be carried out only by the rightful owners and warned against any form of proxy collection or practices capable of disenfranchising voters.
Oyewumi said the campaign council’s observations were not intended to undermine INEC but to encourage improvements that would strengthen the credibility of the electoral process.
According to him, the August 15 governorship election presents an opportunity for Nigeria’s electoral institutions to reinforce public confidence by conducting a peaceful, free, fair and transparent poll.
“The people of Osun are peaceful, politically conscious and deeply committed to democracy. They expect nothing short of a free, fair, transparent and credible election that faithfully reflects the wishes of the electorate,” he said.
The council called on INEC to address the issues raised and take necessary steps to ensure the election is conducted in line with democratic principles.
