Osun Election: Civic group raises alarm over violence, BVAS glitches

The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness has raised concern over alleged pre-election violence, inflammatory political rhetoric and technical challenges involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, ahead of the Osun State governorship election.

The civic organisation made its position known in a pre-election observation report dated August 12, 2026, signed by its Director-General and Head of Mission, Dr Nwambu Gabriel.

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It said it deployed observers across the 30 local government areas of the state to monitor developments ahead of the poll.

“The organisation observed an increase in registered voters following the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, describing the development as an indication of growing civic interest and participation.

“Registered voters in Osun increased from 1,954,800 to 2,339,233, representing an addition of about 384,000 registered voters,” parts of the report read.

However, the Centre said the improved mobilisation of voters is being threatened by political tension, hate speech, electoral violence and concerns over the reliability of election technology.

It said its observers monitored INEC’s mock accreditation exercise across 12 local government areas covering the three senatorial districts.

The organisation alleged that some BVAS devices experienced technical difficulties, including failures to recognise voters’ fingerprints, facial features and Permanent Voter Card details.

“These challenges, if not urgently addressed, could undermine confidence in the electoral process,” the Centre said.

The group urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to urgently resolve the reported technical problems and ensure that BVAS devices function effectively during Saturday’s poll.

It also called on the electoral commission to “maintain and demonstrate strict neutrality throughout the electoral process”.

The organisation claimed that about 40 people had been killed in pre-election-related violence across Osun State.

It expressed concern over what it described as increasingly inflammatory political campaigns, saying political engagements had shifted from issue-based discussions to personal attacks and insults.

The Centre also made allegations against Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, accusing him of making inflammatory statements and allegedly mobilising thugs and individuals purportedly posing as security personnel ahead of the election.

It alleged that Fadahunsi was captured in a video “inciting members of his party against Accord members and supporters in Ijeshaland”

“Thugs and individuals impersonating police officers had been brought into communities across Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West Local Government Areas and Senator Fadahunsi boasted about using federal might to intimidate opposition voters,” it added.

The Centre claimed that security personnel attached to the Police Intelligence Response Team had been used to harass opposition political actors.

It alleged that an Accord House of Representatives candidate, Alaba Popoola, had been unlawfully detained.

The organisation called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to investigate the allegations and prosecute anyone found to have committed criminal offences.

It also demanded increased security deployment across the six local government areas in Ijeshaland and urged security agencies to investigate the alleged activities of the IRT in Osun.

The Centre urged political leaders to moderate their rhetoric and avoid statements capable of escalating tensions ahead of Saturday’s election, stressing that the poll should be determined by voters through the ballot.

“The August 15, 2026, governorship election must be a contest of ballots, not bullets. The protection of lives and property before, during and after the election remained non-negotiable,” it concluded.