#OsunDecides2026: Probe vote-buying, violence, SERAP urges INEC, EFCC, ICPC
August 16, 2026 8:52 am
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project. Photo: SERAP
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, on Sunday, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate alleged vote-buying, financial inducement, violence and other electoral offences linked to the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The call came shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner of Saturday’s governorship election, returning him for another term in office.
The demand comes against the backdrop of reports of alleged vote-buying and other irregularities during the poll.
The State Returning Officer, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24 am on Sunday.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third.
SERAP, in a petition dated August 16, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged INEC, EFCC and ICPC to “…Urgently, jointly and transparently investigate reported cases of vote-buying, financial inducement, illegal election financing, voter intimidation, violence, misuse of public resources and other electoral offences in connection with the 2026 Osun State governorship election.”
The organisation also urged the agencies “to invite and facilitate independent regional and international assessment through the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and relevant UN human-rights mechanisms, as complementary scrutiny to domestic accountability processes.”
SERAP further urged the agencies “to trace the sources and movement of funds allegedly deployed for vote-buying or other unlawful electoral purposes and identify those who provided, authorised, distributed, financed or facilitated the alleged conduct.”
It also called for the preservation and examination of banking and mobile-money records, telecommunications data, CCTV footage, polling-unit records and other documentary and digital evidence.
SERAP added, “The legitimacy and credibility of the Osun State election result ultimately depend upon whether voters were genuinely able to freely exercise their right to participation and political choice. Where voters are allegedly induced with money or other benefits, threatened with violence, intimidated, obstructed or otherwise coerced, serious questions arise as to whether the Osun election reflected the free and genuine will of the electorate.”
The group called for a joint investigation, saying, “A joint investigation by the agencies would ensure coordinated examination of the electoral, financial and criminal dimensions of the reported electoral offences and violations.”
It further said, “Inviting appropriate regional and international mechanisms would provide complementary independent scrutiny, strengthen transparency and accountability, and help assess the wider implications of the reported violations for Nigeria’s human-rights and democratic obligations.”
SERAP cited preliminary reports by the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub, saying civil society observers recorded 323 electoral offences and irregularities across 726 polling units observed as of noon on Saturday.
The organisation quoted the observers as saying the incidents included 103 cases of vote trading, 28 cases of inducement of polling and security officials, 31 cases of voter obstruction, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 14 cases of voter impersonation, 12 cases of multiple voting, seven cases of election-official misconduct and 85 cases involving exposure of ballot papers.
It added, “The observers also recorded 38 security incidents, including reported cases of thuggery, attacks on electoral officials and voter intimidation. The Situation Room also reported the harassment of an election observer and alleged disruption by thugs,” the organisation said.
The group asked the agencies to investigate compliance with sections 91 to 94 of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly provisions relating to campaign contributions, expenditure and sources of funds. It also urged them to investigate, arrest and, where appropriate, prosecute persons reasonably suspected of electoral, corruption or other criminal offences, including those who financed or facilitated the alleged conduct.
“The three agencies should make their findings public and ensure that relevant evidence is available, where lawful and appropriate, to competent electoral tribunals and other accountability mechanisms. These measures are important not only for accountability for the Osun election but also for preventing recurrence, deterring electoral corruption and violence, strengthening public confidence in INEC and other institutions, and safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the 2027 general elections”, the group added.
SERAP said the reported allegations should be subjected to transparent investigation irrespective of the outcome of the election, stressing that accountability was necessary to protect the integrity of future elections.
It urged INEC, EFCC and ICPC to “publish the findings and take all lawful measures necessary where credible evidence shows that corruption, inducement, coercion or violence materially affected voters or the election outcome.”
It also asked the agencies to facilitate regional and international scrutiny and make relevant evidence available to competent electoral and judicial bodies where appropriate and lawful.
“We would be grateful for information on the steps being taken in response to this petition,” SERAP said.
Rotimi, with over 12 years of quality media experience, reports entertainment and politics
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