Yiaga Africa flags voter inducement, rising tension ahead of Osun election

Deploys 300 stationary, 32 roving observers

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Election observation group Yiaga Africa has raised concerns about alleged voter inducement and growing tension ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election, warning that such practices could undermine the credibility of the poll.

Speaking on Tuesday during a Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Media Engagement ahead of the election in Osogbo, a board member of Yiaga Africa, Chief Ezenwa Nwagwu, identified voter inducement as a major challenge.

He alleged that reports had emerged of cash transfers of about N10,000 to prospective voters. He argued that even if such payments are framed as “philanthropic gifts”, they can undermine the electoral process and make the election less credible.

Nwagwu also warned that recurring incidents of political violence should concern stakeholders. He urged Osun voters and stakeholders to work collectively to prevent violence, stating that voters must “conduct themselves peacefully,” while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should ensure voter education reaches people across the state.

The Head of Knowledge Management and Learning at Yiaga Africa, Safiya Bichi, said the organisation would deploy 300 stationary observers and 32 roving observers across Osun’s 30 local government areas.

She explained that the deployment would use Yiaga Africa’s Sample-Based Observation (SBO) methodology, with observers stationed at sampled polling units to independently verify the credibility of the electoral process and confirm whether votes cast match the results declared by INEC.

Bichi noted that Yiaga Africa’s pre-election assessment had identified emerging trends, particularly security-related incidents that could affect the conduct of the election.