The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media practitioners in Osun State to make vote buying a major focus of investigative reporting ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election….
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media practitioners in Osun State to make vote buying a major focus of investigative reporting ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The commission urged journalists to thoroughly document incidents of vote trading to support the prosecution of offenders and protect the integrity of the electoral process.
The appeal was made by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, during a one-day Media Stakeholders’ Forum held in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The keynote address was delivered on his behalf by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.
Haruna described vote buying as the most disturbing feature of the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, alleging that political actors and their agents openly induced voters with cash and, in some instances, used numbered vouchers redeemable outside polling units to avoid detection.
He reminded participants that Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026 prescribes a fine of not less than ₦5 million, a prison term of up to two years, or both, for anyone convicted of vote trading. Convicted offenders also face a 10-year ban from contesting public office.
The National Commissioner urged editors to dedicate resources to investigating vote buying before, during and after the election, while encouraging reporters to capture critical details such as the identities of those involved, locations, amounts exchanged and the methods used to coordinate the illegal practice.
According to him, such evidence would strengthen enforcement efforts involving INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Haruna also disclosed that the commission had concluded major preparations for the Osun governorship election, including the clearance of candidates from 14 political parties and the registration of 381,817 new voters during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
He said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would be deployed across all 30 local government areas of the state to enhance transparency and credibility.
Drawing from the recent Ekiti governorship election, Haruna noted that BVAS recorded a 96 per cent functionality rate, while IReV achieved a 98 per cent result upload completion rate.
He also expressed concern over declining voter turnout nationwide, noting that fewer than four out of every 10 registered voters participated in the Ekiti poll.
The INEC commissioner urged media organisations to intensify voter education campaigns, encourage greater participation in the electoral process and continue sensitising the public on the dangers of vote buying and the importance of verifying election results through the IReV portal.
