Osogbo, Osun State — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has dismissed as false allegations circulating on social media that underage persons were registered as voters in Ede North Local Government Area.
The claim, shared on Facebook, alleged that schoolchildren in uniform were registered at the INEC Local Government Office in Ede North on Friday, February 6, 2026.
In a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo by the Public Affairs Officer, Musa Olurode, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, INEC described the allegation as misleading and unfounded.
The Commission clarified that while some students of YTD Grammar School, Ojoro, Ede, arrived at the Ede North INEC office in school uniforms with the intention of registering, they were denied access to the premises by officials on duty.
According to INEC, the officials acted in strict compliance with existing laws and guidelines governing voter registration, ensuring that no underage person was registered on the said date.
“The Electoral Officer and other officials, acting in line with the law, refused the students entry into the office premises. Consequently, no underage person was registered,” the statement read.
INEC reiterated that only Nigerian citizens who are 18 years and above are eligible for voter registration, as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.
The Commission further emphasized that its officials across Osun State have been directed to enforce the age requirement without exception.
INEC assured residents that the Osun State office, under the leadership of Dr. Mutiu Agboke, would not “engage in, condone, or permit any action capable of undermining the credibility and integrity of the voter registration process.”
Members of the public were urged to disregard the social media report and rely solely on information from official INEC communication channels. The Commission also called on parents, school authorities, and community leaders to properly sensitise young persons on the legal requirements for voter registration.
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