General News
INEC, security agencies passed Osun election key test- YIAGA Africa
An election observation group, YIAGA Africa, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for their professional conduct during Saturday’s Osun governorship election.
The Chairman of the YIAGA Africa Osun Election Observation Mission, Dr Asmau Maikudi, gave the commendation during the group’s Process and Verification Statement on the election on Sunday in Osogbo.
Maikudi said that ahead of the election, YIAGA Africa had described the poll as a defining test of electoral preparedness, security neutrality and public trust.
She said the group argued that the readiness of INEC, security agencies and political parties would be judged by their conduct and performance on election day.
“With the election concluded, the evidence suggests that INEC and security agencies largely passed that test.
“This conclusion is important because Osun was not an ordinary off-cycle election.
“It was the last major governorship election before the 2027 general election and one of the earliest major tests of the Electoral Act 2026 and the new regulatory framework for election administration and results management,” she said.
Maikudi said the group employed the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology and deployed 300 observers and 32 mobile observers across the 30 Local Government Areas, in addition to 30 LGA results collation observers.
Highlighting the key findings on election-day processes, Maikudi said one of INEC’s clearest improvements was logistics.
She said that despite the significant disruption caused by the last-minute court-ordered inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which required INEC to reprint ballot papers and result sheets barely days before the election, the commission largely succeeded in deploying personnel and materials to polling units on time.
According to her, by 8:30 a.m., 48 per cent of polling units had commenced accreditation and voting, with the figure increasing to 96 per cent by 9:30 a.m.
“This compares favourably with the 2022 Osun governorship election, where YIAGA Africa’s observation showed that accreditation and voting had commenced in only 41 per cent of polling units by 8:30 a.m. and 96 per cent by 9:30 a.m.,” she said.
Maikudi also said the group monitored the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), noting that it functioned properly in 80 per cent of polling units.
She, however, said that BVAS malfunctioned in 20 per cent of polling units, although the issues were resolved.
Maikudi said INEC’s official results for the election were consistent with YIAGA Africa’s Watching the Vote (WTV) estimate, as they fell within the group’s estimated range.
“This indicates that the official results, as announced, reflect the ballots counted at polling units,” she said.
She, however, said widespread reports of vote-buying and voter inducement raised serious concerns about the integrity of voters’ choices.
On the conduct of security agencies during the election, Maikudi said they largely demonstrated restraint.
“The campaign period was characterised by violence, inflammatory rhetoric and apprehension about the neutrality of security agencies.
“Against that background, the generally professional conduct of security personnel on Election Day deserves acknowledgement.
“The election demonstrated that robust security deployment need not translate into excessive interference in the electoral process.
“This standard must be sustained. The real measure of security neutrality is consistency across elections, regardless of which political party controls the state or federal government,” she said.
Maikudi said the Osun election demonstrated that INEC could meet a high operational standard, apply the Electoral Act 2026 and transmit results transparently when the election was well resourced and closely observed.
She commended the people of Osun for their resilience and commitment to democracy by turning out to vote.
She encouraged them to sustain the commitment beyond the election by holding political parties and candidates accountable for their campaign promises.(NAN).
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has congratulated Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun on his re-election, describing his victory as a reflection of the confidence reposed in his leadership by the people of the state.
The forum, in a statement signed by its Chairman and Kwara governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Sunday, said Adeleke’s achievements and personal qualities contributed to his victory in the keenly contested election.
The NGF also commended the people of Osun for the large turnout during the election.
It said the interest generated by the off-cycle poll further demonstrated the resilience of Nigeria’s democracy.
The forum acknowledged the important role of opposition parties in strengthening democracy and commended all candidates who participated in the election for their efforts.
It also commended security agencies for curtailing the initial trend of violence in the days preceding the election and creating a secure environment for the poll to take place with minimal incidents.
The forum acknowledged the role played by President Bola Tinubu in balancing his position as leader of the ruling party with his responsibility as the father of the nation.
“We are confident that Gov. Adeleke will continue to build on the successes of his first term in the overall interest of the people of Osun State,” the forum said.
The Osun Coordinator of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr Ekeng Kubiangha, has commended corps members deployed as ad hoc staff for Saturday’s governorship election for their discipline and commitment to duty during the exercise.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Spokesperson for the scheme, Mrs Catherine Otemuyiwa, on Sunday in Osogbo.
Otemuyiwa said that Kubiangha monitored some selected polling units across Ede South, Ede North, Olorunda, Osogbo and Egbedore Local Government Areas of the state where corps members were deployed.
She listed other polling units visited by the state coordinator to include Alajue 1 and Alajue 2, Akoda/Oloki, Isibo/Buhari-Isola wards and some parts of Osogbo, where he assessed the safety and welfare of the corps members.
Otemuyiwa quoted the state coordinator as expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the corps members.
He said that they adhered to instructions, operational guidelines and safety advisories issued during the sensitisation tour of the local government areas.
“I am glad that corps members also complied with directives from the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters and the South-West Area Office 1.
“Corps members were safe and discharged their responsibilities without fear, intimidation or undue interference,” he said.
Kubiangha commended the officers who manned the Situation Room as well as Zonal Inspectors and Local Government Inspectors for their effective coordination and monitoring of corps members throughout the exercise.
He also appreciated security agencies for their efforts in protecting corps members deployed for election duties across the state.
The state coordinator expressed appreciation to INEC officials for their prompt response to issues reported from the field.
He acknowledged the cooperation among the various stakeholders, particularly under the Inter-Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), describing it as a significant factor in ensuring a peaceful and orderly election.
Kubiangha reiterated NYSC’s commitment to the safety and welfare of corps members, urging them to continue to uphold the ideals of the scheme, professionalism and national service in the discharge of their responsibilities.(NAN).
Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed five terrorists, rescued abductees and arrested several suspects in intelligence-led operations across the country.
This is contained in an operational update made available on Sunday in Abuja.
The report said the operations, conducted between Aug. 14 and Aug. 15, also targeted terrorist logistics networks, illegal bunkering, political thuggery and other criminal activities.
In the North-East, it said the troops of Operation HADIN KAI intercepted three JAS terrorists who surrendered at Sabsawa in Bama Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno.
According to the report, the terrorists reportedly fled their camp following logistical difficulties and clashes with rival ISWAP elements.
“They surrendered two AK-47 rifles, 243 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 40 empty cases and other ammunition and military items.
“Troops also rescued an abducted woman and her two children along the Amuda Bridge in Gwoza LGA, after she escaped from a terrorist enclave where she had reportedly been held since 2017,” it said.
The report also revealed that troops apprehended a suspected terrorist infiltrator at Kukareta in Damaturu LGA of Yobe, adding that he was undergoing further investigation.
It said the troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA neutralised two terrorists during an engagement at Kurudu village in Kankia LGA of Katrina State, and recovered an AK-47 rifle.
“In the North-Central, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout at Mista-Ali in Bassa LGA of Plateau, arresting three suspects.
“In a separate operation, troops foiled an attack on residents of Ariri village in Bassa, rescuing an injured victim after the attackers fled.
“In the South-East, troops of Operation UDO KA killed three suspected IPOB/ESN members and arrested nine others during a clearance operation in Osuakwa, on the boundary between Ihiala and Ogbaru areas of Anambra.
“The operation, conducted with the Department of State Services and other security agencies, also led to the recovery of an FN rifle, pump-action rifle, ammunition, four motorcycles and 15 dynamites.
“Other recovered items included a gas cylinder, batteries and handheld-radio chargers, while the suspected terrorist camps were destroyed,” the report said.
It added that troops of the operation also arrested three suspects during an anti-illegal bunkering operation at Ihie community in Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia.
According to the report, troops recovered a vehicle, five motorcycles, jerrycans, suspected illegally refined AGO and ₦135,000 before destroying an illegal refinery camp.
The report further revealed that troops deployed for Operation SAFE CONDUCT during the Osun Governorship election, apprehended three suspected political thugs at Ikire in Irewole LGA.
It added that the suspects were allegedly detailed by a political party to disrupt the electoral process, with troops recovering a locally fabricated pistol, motorcycle, mobile phones and ₦163,400.
In the South-South, army said troops of Operation DELTA SAFE discovered 3,100 litres of fuel allegedly siphoned from a pipeline around Eleme refinery in Rivers.
According to the report, the latest operations demonstrate the continued focus on intelligence-led operations to disrupt terrorist groups, criminal networks, illegal economic activities and threats to public safety. (NAN).
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