The Imole Campaign Council, coordinating the re-election campaign of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address what it described as lapses observed during recent off-cycle and by-elections ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Monday, the Director-General of the campaign council, Lere Oyewumi, urged the electoral commission to strengthen its processes to ensure a free, fair and credible poll.
Oyewumi alleged that recent elections conducted in Ogun, Oyo, Jigawa and Ekiti states witnessed the issuance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to individuals suspected to be “mercenary voters” shortly before election day.
He also expressed concern over the alleged shortage of ballot papers and other sensitive election materials, claiming that irregularities, including the circulation of pre-thumbprinted ballot papers, were recorded during the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
According to him, technical challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) also affected the conduct of elections in Ekiti State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council polls.
The campaign council further alleged that during elections in Anambra, Ekiti and the FCT, some political parties that did not participate in the contests were listed on ballot papers and result sheets.
Addressing preparations for the Osun governorship election, Oyewumi claimed the council had received reports of alleged statements by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) suggesting the possible 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,” he said.
He described the allegation, if proven, as a serious threat to the integrity of the electronic accreditation process and a potential attempt to compromise the credibility of the election.
Oyewumi also raised concerns over INEC’s ongoing distribution of newly issued PVCs, urging the commission to ensure the exercise remains transparent, open and free from manipulation.
“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,” he stated.
The council insisted that PVC collection should be conducted transparently and warned against any form of proxy collection.
Oyewumi maintained that the concerns were not intended to undermine INEC but to encourage improvements that would strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
He expressed optimism that the Osun governorship election would provide another opportunity for Nigeria’s democratic institutions to demonstrate their commitment to free, fair and transparent elections.
“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 added.
The campaign council therefore urged INEC to consider the issues raised and implement necessary corrective measures before the August 15 governorship election.
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