INEC won’t bend electoral rules for parties in Osun poll — REC
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will not bend electoral rules to favour any political party in the August 15 governorship election in the state.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Osun State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, stressed that strict compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and relevant guidelines would guide the commission’s actions before, during and after the poll.
Babalola noted that INEC, as a regulatory body, is committed to ensuring that all political parties operate within the ambit of the law, warning that any party that violates the rules would face legal consequences.
“INEC does not break the rule to satisfy a particular political party. The provisions of the law apply to all, not to one. If any political party fails to do the right thing, such a party will face the full weight of the law,” she said.
On vote buying, Babalola maintained that the commission does not engage in such practices, describing both vote buying and selling as criminal offences, and called for intensified voter education to discourage the trend.
She revealed that a total of 381,817 fresh registrations were recorded, while 1,391 persons living with disabilities registered. She added that 7,272 voters applied for updates or corrections, 42,255 requested replacement of lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), 14,362 sought various reviews, while 1,865 registrants had so far collected their cards.
Babalola also commended the media for its role in promoting credible elections and urged journalists to deploy their professional expertise and platforms to combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news, which she said pose serious threats to electoral integrity and public confidence.
The REC assured that INEC remains committed to conducting a peaceful, free, fair and credible governorship election in Osun State.
