The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed claims of ghost and hired voters during the August 15 Osun State governorship election, insisting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System made such voting impossible.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, also urged Nigerians to disregard unverified information and videos circulating online in the aftermath of the election.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS on Monday, Oketola said the use of BVAS meant that only registered and accredited voters could cast ballots at designated polling units.
He said, “We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true. With BVAS in play for any election in Nigeria, there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters.
“You cannot vote in an election unless you have been registered and accredited for that specific polling unit. Be careful what you believe, particularly in an election driven by information management and mismanagement.”
Oketola spoke after the election, which was won by Accord Party candidate and incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.
Oketola said the election recorded a voter turnout of 50.116 per cent, describing it as higher than that recorded in other recent off-cycle elections.
“Regarding voter apathy: yes, we know voter apathy is a major problem in Nigerian elections. Apathy does not reward poor governance; it enhances it. When people do not turn out to vote, they give their voice to the minority.
“However, Osun broke a number of records. Since 2015, across major off-cycle elections in recent years, there was none where we had the kind of turnout recorded in Osun.
“According to our records, we had a 50.116% voter turnout in that election. It is better than other off-cycle elections that have been conducted. This shows that when solid preparedness meets collective resilience on the part of the electorate, people turn out. The lesson is to plan very well—get your planning and logistics right,” he said.
He added, “As the Independent National Electoral Commission, our official voter turnout record is 50.116%.
“That is based on the number of PVCs collected and the number of voters accredited.
“Voter turnout in that election was well above 50%, which is higher than the overall average.”
Oketola said the peaceful conclusion of the election, despite tensions in the build-up to the poll, demonstrated what he described as a consistent level of maturity in Nigeria’s democracy.
“Despite the fearmongering and the tension-soaked campaign in the run-up to the election, the Osun election has come and gone, and a winner has been declared. For me, this marks a consistent level of maturity for Nigeria’s democracy,” he stated.
He said INEC remained focused on conducting elections in accordance with the country’s legal framework.
“Our concern before, during, and after any election is to conduct a free, fair, credible, and inclusive election guided by the legal framework—the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and our regulations.
“The legal framework allows for legal steps to be taken by candidates who may be dissatisfied with the outcome. That is not a source of concern for us because the law provides for it. Naturally, INEC will be a party to the suit, because we acted as the referee in the match,” he added.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Oketola said recent off-cycle elections had provided opportunities for INEC to test its preparedness.
“Our mandate is to conduct credible elections for Nigerians. Recent off-cycle elections serve as test runs for 2027.
“INEC is prepared to deliver free and fair elections, but we require the cooperation of all stakeholders.
“Political parties must refrain from practices like vote-buying. When security agencies manage threats effectively and INEC is allowed to operate without unnecessary interference, standard electoral processes can be maintained,” he assured.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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