The Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected claims of ghost and hired voters during the Osun State governorship election, insisting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System prevented unregistered individuals from casting ballots.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, also urged Nigerians to disregard unverified information and videos circulating on social media following the election.
“We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true. With BVAS in play for any election in Nigeria, there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters.
“You cannot vote in an election unless you have been registered and accredited for that specific polling unit. Be careful what you believe, particularly in an election driven by information management and mismanagement.”
Oketola spoke on ARISE NEWS on Monday after the August 15 governorship election, which was won by Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke, with 511,067 votes. His closest challenger, All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji, polled 444,815 votes.
Osun records 50.116% voter turnout
Oketola disclosed that voter turnout stood at 50.116 per cent, describing the figure as higher than those recorded in other recent off-cycle elections.
He acknowledged that voter apathy remained a major challenge in Nigeria but said the Osun election demonstrated that proper preparation and effective logistics could encourage greater participation.
“Regarding voter apathy: yes, we know voter apathy is a major problem in Nigerian elections. Apathy does not reward poor governance; it enhances it. When people do not turn out to vote, they give their voice to the minority.
“However, Osun broke a number of records. Since 2015, across major off-cycle elections in recent years, there was none where we had the kind of turnout recorded in Osun.
“According to our records, we had a 50.116% voter turnout in that election. It is better than other off-cycle elections that have been conducted. This shows that when solid preparedness meets collective resilience on the part of the electorate, people turn out. The lesson is to plan very well—get your planning and logistics right,” he said.
He reiterated that INEC’s official voter turnout figure was 50.116 per cent, based on the number of collected Permanent Voter Cards and accredited voters.
‘Consistent level of maturity’
Oketola said the peaceful conclusion of the election, despite the tension surrounding the campaign period, demonstrated what he described as a growing maturity in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Despite the fearmongering and the tension-soaked campaign in the run-up to the election, the Osun election has come and gone, and a winner has been declared. For me, this marks a consistent level of maturity for Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
He maintained that INEC’s primary responsibility was to conduct free, fair, credible and inclusive elections within the provisions of the Constitution, Electoral Act and the commission’s regulations.
He added that candidates dissatisfied with the outcome had the right to seek legal redress, noting that INEC would naturally be involved in any resulting litigation because it conducted the election.
INEC begins preparations for 2027
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Oketola described recent off-cycle elections as important tests of the commission’s preparedness.
“Our mandate is to conduct credible elections for Nigerians. Recent off-cycle elections serve as test runs for 2027.
“INEC is prepared to deliver free and fair elections, but we require the cooperation of all stakeholders.
“Political parties must refrain from practices like vote-buying. When security agencies manage threats effectively and INEC is allowed to operate without unnecessary interference, standard electoral processes can be maintained,” he said.
