Osun Decides: Election Day Rocked by Violence, BVAS Glitches, and Vote-Buying Accusations

The Osun State governorship election was marked by a complex interplay of calls for credible processes, extensive security deployments, logistical challenges for electoral bodies, and various allegations of malpractice, ultimately culminating in active voter participation and initial results declarations.

A prominent call for a free and people-driven electoral process came from Jake Epelle, founder and CEO of TAF Africa and a policy and governance analyst. Speaking to ARISE NEWS, Epelle expressed significant concern over undue pressure on voters, security agencies, and the electoral process. He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene, emphasizing the need for Osun State residents to freely determine their governor without interference from Abuja or political bigwigs. Epelle stressed, "Let the Osun people breathe and decide who leads them," highlighting overwhelming pressure on the populace and security architecture.

Regarding the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Epelle acknowledged institutional preparations but stressed the critical distinction between preparedness and actual performance at polling units. He specifically noted the logistical challenges arising from a late court order to include an SDP candidate, which necessitated the production of new ballot papers for 15 political parties, compressing the logistics window. Questions were raised about the timely arrival of personnel and materials, the effectiveness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), smooth accreditation, transparent result recording, and overall public confidence. Yiaga Africa's 'Watching the Vote' initiative observed that by 8:30 a.m. on election day, INEC officials had arrived at 78% of the 300 polling units they monitored. While some local government areas had sensitive materials delivered early, others, like Ede North, were still sorting materials late on Friday, raising concerns about readiness. INEC later reported that 94.5% (3,556 out of 3,763) of polling units were open by 8:30 a.m., with the remaining 5.5% operational by 9:00 a.m., and Registration Area Centre (RAC) activation completed 100% by 6:09 p.m. on Friday.

Security arrangements were a major talking point. CSP Anietie Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer, defended the heavy deployment of 35,000 police officers, 30 CSPs, a helicopter, a drone unit, and two Mobile Police Force units, stating these measures were essential to protect lives and ensure peace. He asserted that the police were "partisan" only to peace and had identified potential flashpoints through covert security threat analysis. While police personnel at polling units remained unarmed in compliance with the Electoral Act to avoid voter intimidation and assist vulnerable citizens, armed Mobile Police units were on standby across the 30 local government areas for rapid response. Epelle, however, expressed reservations about such large deployments, questioning their factual accuracy, necessity, and potential to create fear among citizens rather than reassurance. He also advocated for better welfare for deployed officers. In one incident, an officer was arrested for accidentally discharging tear gas at a RAC in Modakeke Ward 10, which the police clarified was due to negligence and not an attempt to disrupt voting.

Allegations of electoral malpractices were rampant throughout the election day. Vote buying was a significant concern, with Epelle lamenting its normalization and criticizing security operatives for their inaction. Afrobeats singer Davido also alleged that Osun youths were seizing money meant for vote buying by the All Progressives Congress (APC). Violence erupted at a polling unit in Ejigbo LGA, reportedly triggered by the discovery of materials linked to APC vote buying, causing residents and INEC officials to flee. Party agents in Ejigbo also questioned discrepancies in ballot paper counts.

Voter intimidation was another reported issue. African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, alleged intimidation in Ifewara by a group linked to an APC House of Assembly candidate, Babatunde Komolafe, who was accused of forcefully collecting and destroying voters' cards using "thuggery." Salaam himself was whisked away by security operatives from his polling unit in Ejigbo after violence broke out, which he described as a targeted attack. Lere Oyewumi, Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council (supporting Governor Adeleke), alleged that police arrested 52 Accord Party members, including a local government chairman, at a lawmaker's residence in Irewole/Isokan, describing it as a pattern of intimidation. He also reported violence at polling units in Ikire.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, seeking re-election under the Accord Party, expressed serious concerns about the collation process, alleging that INEC planned to bypass the legally prescribed unit-to-ward-to-local-government stages and take results directly to the state collation center. He warned against attempts to replace genuine results and against relocating local government collation centers, urging his supporters to be vigilant. Furthermore, Adeleke condemned the arrest of Sunday Bisi, the Osun State PDP Chairman, shortly after voting, describing it as an attempt to intimidate his supporters and facilitate result manipulation.

Voter experience was mixed. While many polling units saw impressive voter turnout, others recorded low participation. BVAS devices experienced malfunctions in several local government areas, including Ilesa West, Ife Central, Egbedore, Ifedayo, Oriade, and Ilesa East. Issues ranged from low battery and failure to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) or verify faces to devices hanging and slow capturing, leading to long queues and frustrated voters, with some elderly individuals reportedly leaving. A 55-year-old voter, Sharafa Lasisi, repeatedly failed accreditation due to network issues affecting facial verification. Delays also plagued some polling units, with voters in Polling Unit 11, Ward 009, expressing frustration after waiting since 7:00 a.m. for the process to begin.

Amidst these developments, candidates and their allies made their statements. Governor Adeleke, after casting his vote in Ede North, expressed confidence in his victory and urged citizens to protect their votes. His wife, Ngozi Adeleke, shared similar optimism. Kayode Adereti, the APC deputy governorship candidate, praised the voter turnout and commended the peaceful conduct and BVAS operation at his polling unit, despite reports of chaos elsewhere. Senator Francis Fadahunsi (APC) urged his supporters to monitor voting but made a controversial remark linking voting for his party to being an "indigene," later clarifying his intent. A fight also broke out at the polling unit of the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, when the APC deputy governorship candidate, Benjamin Kayode Adereti, arrived.

As voting concluded in many units by 2:30 p.m., initial results began to trickle in. Governor Adeleke secured an early victory at his polling unit 026, Ward 5, Oshogbo, with 57 votes for Accord against 43 for APC. Other early results from various units showed varying outcomes for the Accord, APC, and ADC parties, reflecting the competitive nature of the election involving 15 political parties vying for the governorship seat. Despite the challenges and reported incidents, the election saw significant civic participation as residents exercised their franchise to elect a governor for the next four years.