Election observers cite vote trading, ballot exposure, thuggery, voter intimidation, BVAS failures as voting remains largely peaceful
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews
The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH) has reported 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities, alongside 38 security incidents, in the ongoing Osun State governorship election as of 12 noon on Saturday.
The Hub, comprising the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), International Press Centre (IPC), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre (TKC) and Yiaga Africa, deployed 823 accredited observers across the 30 Local Government Areas of the state to monitor the election.
In its preliminary election day statement issued at 2pm, the EU-SDGN EOH said its assessment was based on reports from stationary and roving observers covering polling unit operations, accreditation, voting, election security, inclusion, electoral offences, media access and misinformation.
According to the statement, the observation does not constitute a final assessment of the election, as the Hub will continue monitoring the counting, collation and transmission of results through the Registration Area, Local Government and State Collation Centres before issuing a post-election report.
The election is being conducted in 3,763 polling units across Osun State, with 15 candidates sponsored by 15 political parties contesting the governorship seat.
The Hub said 2,339,233 voters were registered for the election, while 1,906,390, representing 81.50 per cent, collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards and were eligible to vote.
On the opening of polls, the observers said election officials with complete sensitive and non-sensitive materials were present in 726 of the 823 polling units where they were deployed.
Of the 726 observed polling units, complete materials, including ballot papers, result sheets, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), voting cubicles, voters’ registers, official stamps and ink pads, were available in 608 polling units, representing 83.7 per cent, between 7.30am and 8am.
The Hub said officials arrived at another 75 polling units, representing 10.3 per cent, between 8am and 8.30am, while officials arrived at 42 polling units, representing 5.7 per cent, between 8.30am and 11am.
One polling unit had not opened as of 11am due to the non-arrival of election personnel and materials.
On BVAS functionality, the observers reported that 58 devices, representing about 7.9 per cent of the 726 polling units observed, experienced malfunction.
However, 41 of the affected 58 devices, representing 70.7 per cent, were reportedly rectified, allowing accreditation to resume.
The Hub described voter turnout as impressive, adding that voting was largely peaceful and orderly in the polling units observed, with effective crowd-control measures deployed by election officials and security personnel.
On election security, the EU-SDGN EOH said an average of three security personnel were deployed to each of the observed polling units.
It noted that most security personnel displayed professional conduct during voting, but cited reported cases of voter intimidation by security agents at PU 29-10-10-005 at Igbon DC School in Ejigbo, as well as PU 29-26-01-002 and PU 29-30-06-015 at an open space opposite No. 22, Oke Ola Street, Okanla Area, Osogbo.
As of noon, the Hub said its observers had recorded 38 security incidents, including reported cases of thuggery, attacks on electoral officials and voter intimidation by security personnel.
The observers also reported 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities across the 726 polling units observed.
The alleged infractions included 103 cases of vote trading, 12 cases of multiple voting, 28 cases of inducement of polling and security officials, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 14 cases of voter impersonation, seven cases of misconduct by election officials, 31 cases of obstruction of voters and 85 cases involving exposure of ballot papers.
The Hub said the participation of women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups was largely encouraging.
It reported that women accounted for about 59 per cent of voter turnout in the observed polling units, while more than 70 per cent of persons with disabilities turned up to vote in the 12 designated polling units observed.
Women also constituted 36 per cent of polling officials and played significant roles as polling agents, according to the observers.
On access for journalists and election observers, the EU-SDGN EOH said the election environment had generally remained conducive, with no major incident of restricted access to polling units reported as of the time of its statement.
Its fact-checkers, it added, had identified and fact-checked about 11 false claims relating to alleged payment of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, police arrests, underage voting and other issues.
The Hub said the fact-checking outcomes had been amplified, while other claims concerning alleged shooting and disruption of voting were still being verified.
The observers called on INEC to ensure that election personnel and materials reach polling units that were yet to open, or reschedule the election in any polling unit where voting had not commenced by noon.
INEC was also urged to deploy Rapid Response Technical Teams (RATECH) and backup BVAS devices immediately to polling units where the devices had failed to capture voters’ biometrics.
The Hub further called on the electoral commission to paste Form EC at every polling unit at the end of voting and immediately upload the result to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
It also urged INEC to monitor priority voting and ensure the availability and proper use of assistive devices for elderly voters, pregnant women and persons with disabilities, while strengthening rapid response to reported cases of arson, kidnapping or hijacking of election materials or personnel.
For security agencies, the Hub called for professionalism, neutrality and non-partisan conduct throughout the remaining stages of the election.
It urged security personnel to maintain a visible but restrained presence at polling units and collation centres, particularly in areas classified as critical risk, and to avoid any perception of heavy-handedness.
The security agencies were also encouraged to support Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) plain-clothes officers working at polling units to detect vote trading.
They were further urged to escort election personnel and materials from polling units to collation centres and sustain collaboration through the Inter-Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to enable a rapid, proportionate and transparent response to incidents.
Political parties and candidates were advised to direct their agents to focus on lawful observation rather than intimidation or vote trading.
The Hub also urged parties and candidates to refrain from vote buying and discourage their supporters and polling agents from engaging in electoral inducement.
It called on all contestants to commit to resolving grievances through election tribunals and courts rather than protests or self-help.
The media, according to the observers, should refrain from announcing results before INEC’s official declaration at the appropriate polling and collation levels.
Journalists were also urged to avoid reporting unofficial or projected figures, intensify real-time fact-checking to counter disinformation and misinformation during counting and collation, and promptly report attacks or denial of access through designated channels.
Voters were similarly advised to vote independently, reject inducements and report vote buying to INEC officials, security personnel or accredited observers.
The Hub urged voters to report threats or disputes at polling units to security personnel or observers rather than taking matters into their own hands.
The EU-SDGN EOH said its observers remained deployed at polling units and would subsequently monitor the counting, collation and transmission of results through the Registration Area, Local Government and State Collation Centres up to the declaration of the final result.
It said a comprehensive post-election report would be issued after the declaration, addressing the overall conduct, credibility and outcome of the election.
The Hub also appealed to political parties and candidates to await the official outcome and pursue grievances exclusively through lawful and judicial channels, in line with the Peace Accord signed on July 30, 2026.
It urged the people of Osun State to remain calm and patient as the electoral process moves towards conclusion.
The EU-SDGN EOH described the election as a critical test of Nigeria’s new electoral legal framework and a potential bellwether for the 2027 general elections.
The statement was signed by representatives of the Centre for Media and Society, International Press Centre, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre and Yiaga Africa.
The Hub expressed appreciation to INEC, security agencies, political parties, the media and voters for their participation, while reaffirming its commitment to providing an accurate, evidence-based and impartial account of the election as the process progresses to conclusion.
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