Osun 2026: Campaign council vows to resist mercenary voters, electoral fraud

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

The Imole Campaign Council (TICC), driving the reelection campaign of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has vowed that Osun State would not tolerate any attempt to import ‘mercenary voters’ or manipulate the upcoming August 15 governorship election through the unlawful distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo yesterday, the Director-General of the TICC, Senator Olalere Oyewumi, alleged that a circulating viral video showed individuals suspected to be mercenary voters receiving PVCs shortly before voting in recent elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across Ogun, Oyo, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Kano and Ekiti states.

Oyewumi warned that any maneuovers to disenfranchise Osun voters by withholding their PVCs during the ongoing distribution exercise would be fiercely resisted.

Accusing INEC of failing to provide a satisfactory explanation or debunk the authenticity of the video, the TICC said: “This silence has further heightened public anxiety. Such an open display of what appears to be organised electoral fraud must never be contemplated in Osun State.

“INEC must subject ballot papers and result-sheet templates to rigorous verification, ensuring that only duly nominated and cleared political parties appear on all sensitive election materials.”

According to the TICC, reports from several observer groups regarding the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election and the FCT council elections revealed that Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines experienced operational difficulties during accreditation. This particularly affected elderly voters, whose facial features could not be properly captured.

“We, therefore, urge INEC to thoroughly test, calibrate and deploy fully functional BVAS machines across Osun State to ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised due to age or technical failures,” TICC said.

The campaign council also expressed deep concern over reports from credible election observers, particularly the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, which indicated that some individuals were allegedly permitted to vote without presenting PVCs during the Ekiti governorship election, specifically in Ekiti West LGA (Ward 5, PU 03). The TICC noted that this directly contravened Section 47 of the Electoral Act (2026).

“Allowing individuals to vote without presenting their PVCs creates dangerous opportunities for impersonation, multiple voting and the participation of mercenary voters. This undermines public confidence and provides fertile ground for electoral manipulation. The Imole Campaign Council rejects this practice in its entirety,” the council stressed.

Oyewumi urged INEC to make adequate logistics preparations by deploying a sufficient number of election personnel, BVAS machines and other accreditation equipment to heavily populated polling units. This, he noted, is vital to ensuring that every registered voter has a fair and reasonable opportunity to cast their ballot within the stipulated time frame.