Civil society organisations, CSOs, under the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, political parties and voters to ensure credibility, peace and accountability during Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The coalition made the demand at a pre-election world press conference themed, ‘2026 Osun State Governorship Election: Demanding Credibility, Peace and Accountability’, held in Osogbo on Friday ahead of Saturday’s governorship poll.
The group, represented by Engr. Uzoma Juliet Uchenna of the New Dimension Network for Peace Initiative, urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, and the commission to ensure that the election is free, fair, credible and transparent.
The coalition called on INEC to protect all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines from tampering and ensure that the devices are tested and fully functional before deployment.
It also demanded the presence of trained technical personnel at polling units throughout the election, stressing that no voter should be disenfranchised because of equipment failure or the absence of technical support.
The organisations also appealed to Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, and the Nigeria Police Force to remain neutral, professional and non-partisan in the discharge of their responsibilities during the election.
“We call on IGP Olatunji Disu to ensure that the Nigerian Police remain neutral, professional, and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties,” the coalition said.
It urged the police to prosecute individuals who use inflammatory language, incite violence or engage in electoral malpractice, while warning against voter intimidation and interference with the choices of the electorate.
The coalition called on political party agents to behave responsibly, saying their responsibility was to observe the process rather than disrupt it, and to allow voters to cast their ballots freely without intimidation or inducement.
Foreign and domestic election observers were also urged to conduct their duties professionally and independently, with the coalition calling for accurate reporting supported, where possible, by photographic and video evidence.
The group appealed to Osun voters to participate actively in the election, vote according to their conscience and remain at their polling units until their votes are counted and uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing, IReV, portal.
“There is no more manual accreditation. BVAS is the only means of accreditation. We urge voters to protect their votes and remain vigilant throughout the electoral process,” it stated.
The coalition which said the election would test Nigeria’s democratic institutions and collective commitment to credible elections, urged INEC, the police, politicians, observers and voters to uphold their respective responsibilities.
“The eyes of Nigeria and the world are on Osun. Let us make history for the right reasons—peace, credibility, and the will of the people,” it said.
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