Yiaga Africa has raised concerns over logistics, technology, security neutrality and the late inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the ballot ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The civil society organisation, which is participating in the election as an observer, said the poll would be a major test of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, security agencies and voters.
Speaking at a pre-election press conference in Osogbo on Thursday, Chair of the 2026 Osun Election Observation Mission, Asmau Maikudi, acknowledged progress made by INEC in preparing for the election.
She listed voter registration activities, recruitment and training of election officials, BVAS configuration, mock accreditation exercises and stakeholder engagements among the steps taken by the commission.
However, Yiaga Africa said some technical problems recorded during mock accreditation remained a concern.
BVAS Challenges Raise Concern
According to the organisation, some BVAS devices temporarily failed to recognise voters’ fingerprints and facial features during testing.
It also raised concerns about difficulties involving older Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), warning that such technical issues could cause delays or potentially disenfranchise eligible voters on election day.
Yiaga Africa said the election would also provide an early opportunity to assess new provisions and technologies introduced under the Electoral Act 2026, including downloadable PVCs and the electronic management of polling-unit results.
The organisation warned that technical or operational difficulties could affect the smooth conduct of the poll if contingency measures were not put in place.
Late SDP Inclusion Creates Pressure
Yiaga Africa also expressed concern over the late addition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, to the ballot following a Federal High Court judgment.
The organisation said the decision required INEC to reprint ballot papers and result sheets, effectively compressing the commission’s deployment timetable.
Yiaga Africa urged INEC to ensure that the shortened timeline does not affect the timely distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to polling units.
Logistics and Security Under Spotlight
Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, specifically raised concerns about election logistics.
He urged INEC to activate contingency arrangements to prevent delays and ensure that all election materials arrive at polling units before voting begins.
Itodo also advised the commission to avoid transporting election materials into the state, particularly at night, citing the insecurity and violence recorded in parts of Osun.
On security, Maikudi called on security agencies to remain neutral and professional throughout the electoral process.
She stressed that security personnel must respect the rights of voters, accredited observers and journalists, including their freedom of movement on election day.
Yiaga Africa further called for effective coordination between security agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to tackle vote-buying and other electoral offences.
The organisation said any arrests or enforcement actions must be carried out impartially.
Parties Urged to Maintain Peace
Yiaga Africa appealed to political parties and candidates to respect the Peace Accord signed ahead of the election.
It urged contestants to avoid vote-buying, inflammatory statements and actions capable of provoking violence, while encouraging their supporters to remain peaceful.
The organisation said its Watching the Vote (WTV) initiative would independently monitor the election results uploaded to INEC’s IReV portal.
Through its ERAD 2.0 system, Yiaga Africa said it would assess the availability and completeness of result sheets and provide independent, evidence-based verification of the electoral process.
With the election just days away, the organisation urged all stakeholders to address outstanding logistical, technological and security concerns to ensure that Osun voters can participate in a credible and peaceful election.
The civil society organisation, which is participating in the election as an observer, said the poll would be a major test of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, security agencies and voters.
Speaking at a pre-election press conference in Osogbo on Thursday, Chair of the 2026 Osun Election Observation Mission, Asmau Maikudi, acknowledged progress made by INEC in preparing for the election.
She listed voter registration activities, recruitment and training of election officials, BVAS configuration, mock accreditation exercises and stakeholder engagements among the steps taken by the commission.
However, Yiaga Africa said some technical problems recorded during mock accreditation remained a concern.
BVAS Challenges Raise Concern
According to the organisation, some BVAS devices temporarily failed to recognise voters’ fingerprints and facial features during testing.
It also raised concerns about difficulties involving older Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), warning that such technical issues could cause delays or potentially disenfranchise eligible voters on election day.
Yiaga Africa said the election would also provide an early opportunity to assess new provisions and technologies introduced under the Electoral Act 2026, including downloadable PVCs and the electronic management of polling-unit results.
The organisation warned that technical or operational difficulties could affect the smooth conduct of the poll if contingency measures were not put in place.
Late SDP Inclusion Creates Pressure
Yiaga Africa also expressed concern over the late addition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, to the ballot following a Federal High Court judgment.
The organisation said the decision required INEC to reprint ballot papers and result sheets, effectively compressing the commission’s deployment timetable.
Yiaga Africa urged INEC to ensure that the shortened timeline does not affect the timely distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to polling units.
Logistics and Security Under Spotlight
Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, specifically raised concerns about election logistics.
He urged INEC to activate contingency arrangements to prevent delays and ensure that all election materials arrive at polling units before voting begins.
Itodo also advised the commission to avoid transporting election materials into the state, particularly at night, citing the insecurity and violence recorded in parts of Osun.
On security, Maikudi called on security agencies to remain neutral and professional throughout the electoral process.
She stressed that security personnel must respect the rights of voters, accredited observers and journalists, including their freedom of movement on election day.
Yiaga Africa further called for effective coordination between security agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to tackle vote-buying and other electoral offences.
The organisation said any arrests or enforcement actions must be carried out impartially.
Parties Urged to Maintain Peace
Yiaga Africa appealed to political parties and candidates to respect the Peace Accord signed ahead of the election.
It urged contestants to avoid vote-buying, inflammatory statements and actions capable of provoking violence, while encouraging their supporters to remain peaceful.
The organisation said its Watching the Vote (WTV) initiative would independently monitor the election results uploaded to INEC’s IReV portal.
Through its ERAD 2.0 system, Yiaga Africa said it would assess the availability and completeness of result sheets and provide independent, evidence-based verification of the electoral process.
With the election just days away, the organisation urged all stakeholders to address outstanding logistical, technological and security concerns to ensure that Osun voters can participate in a credible and peaceful election.
