Osun Governorship Poll: INEC Receives Materials as 25,000 Security Personnel Deploy Across State

Preparations for the upcoming Osun State governorship election have reached a critical stage as sensitive electoral materials arrived in the state capital, accompanied by the mobilization of over 30,000 youth corps members and a heavy deployment of security forces.

According to updates from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the sensitive election items, including ballot papers and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, have been safely stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria facility in Osogbo. Officials confirmed that the distribution of non-sensitive items to local government areas will begin on Thursday, while sensitive materials will follow on Friday to ensure polling stations open promptly on election day.

INEC reports that 2,339,233 voters are registered to participate in the poll, which features 14 contesting political parties. The commission will draw ad-hoc personnel from a pool of more than 30,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to manage the voting process across the state’s 30 local government areas.

To guarantee safety and order, a multi-agency security operation has been activated. More than 25,000 personnel—comprising 15,000 police officers, 10,210 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers, and approximately 100 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives are being deployed. The EFCC personnel will focus specifically on deterring vote-buying and financial inducements.

Military units have also taken over primary security duties at the state INEC headquarters in Osogbo, supported by Armoured Personnel Carriers and joint patrols with anti-riot police.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on political parties, electoral officials, and security agencies to maintain neutrality, reduce inflammatory political rhetoric, and ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible election.