Sensitive election materials have arrived in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepares to deploy thousands of ad-hoc personnel and security officers across the state.
INEC said it would draw its ad-hoc staff from a pool of more than 30,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members as part of preparations for the August 15, 2026 election.
The commission’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, disclosed this on Monday while providing an update on the election. He said the exact number of NYSC members to be deployed had not been finalised.
According to Oketola, 2,339,233 voters are registered in Osun State. However, he said INEC did not yet have the latest figure for voters who collected their Permanent Voter Cards following the extension of the PVC collection exercise.
Election Materials to Be Deployed
Oketola confirmed that sensitive and non-sensitive election materials were already in the state. He said the sensitive materials, including ballot papers and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, were being kept securely at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He explained that the materials would be moved to local government offices and Registration Area Centres in stages, with sensitive materials scheduled for movement closer to election day for security reasons.
According to the commission’s logistics plan, deployment to Registration Area Centres will include election officials, ad-hoc personnel, security operatives and vehicles required for election-day operations.
INEC said the arrangement is designed to ensure that polling units are ready for voting from 8:30am on election day.
The commission is also deploying generators, water tanks and other logistical equipment to support the electoral process.
25,310 Security Personnel Deployed
Security agencies have deployed at least 25,310 personnel across Osun State to secure the election.
The figure comprises approximately 15,000 police officers, 10,210 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel and about 100 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission officers.
The Nigeria Police Force had earlier announced the deployment of 15,000 personnel, while the EFCC said its officers would focus on preventing vote buying and other forms of electoral inducement.
The NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Audi, also ordered the deployment of 10,000 additional personnel from neighbouring states to strengthen security operations.
The personnel are being drawn from the Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and Federal Capital Territory commands.
The NSCDC said its specialised units, including intelligence, tactical, K9 and strike teams, would support election security, intelligence gathering, crowd control and the protection of critical infrastructure.
Audi urged officers to remain professional, neutral and respectful of citizens’ rights while warning political thugs and anyone planning to disrupt the election that they would face prosecution.
Soldiers Take Over INEC Headquarters
Security around the INEC headquarters in Osogbo was also reinforced on Monday, with armed military personnel taking charge of the facility.
Correspondents observed soldiers stationed around the premises, while about three Armoured Personnel Carriers were reportedly deployed to strengthen security.
A security source said the soldiers arrived on Sunday and assumed duties the following morning. Police and NSCDC personnel are expected to join the military deployment as election preparations intensify.
Osun INEC Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode, said the commission was fully prepared for Saturday’s election.
He said 12 of the 13 activities on INEC’s timetable had been completed, with election day remaining as the final activity.
14 Parties to Contest Election
A total of 14 political parties are expected to participate in the August 15 governorship election.
Among the leading candidates are incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The election comes amid heightened political activity and concerns over security, electoral integrity and political tensions in the state.
IPAC Calls for Restraint
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has appealed to political parties and candidates to reduce inflammatory rhetoric and allow the election to focus on policies, programmes and ideas.
IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, made the appeal in Abuja after the council’s General Assembly meeting on Monday.
Dantalle urged INEC to conduct the election transparently and impartially while ensuring that all candidates and parties receive equal treatment.
He also called for the timely distribution of election materials, transparent accreditation and voting, accurate result collation and prompt resolution of complaints.
On security, he urged deployed personnel to remain within their constitutional responsibilities and protect voters, candidates, party agents, electoral officials and election materials without discrimination.
Dantalle also expressed concern over the freezing of Osun State Government accounts by the EFCC, describing the action as politically motivated. He argued that financial investigations should not prevent the government from accessing funds required for salaries and essential public services.
He condemned vote buying, electoral violence and the alleged use of government institutions to intimidate political opponents.
With the election approaching, IPAC urged all candidates and their supporters to pursue their political differences peacefully and use lawful channels to resolve disputes.
The council stressed that the credibility of an election depends not only on the eventual winner but also on whether the process is transparent, peaceful and reflects the will of voters.
