By: Peter Emmanuel |
With the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election approaching, Yiaga Africa has raised concerns over emerging electoral security threats, disruption of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise and political violence in parts of the state.h
The concerns were contained in the third iteration of Yiaga Africa’s Watching the Vote (WTV) Pre-Election Observation (PREO) Report, which assessed political activities, electoral preparations and security developments across Osun’s 30 Local Government Areas.
The report said the state had entered the operational phase of the election, with political parties intensifying grassroots mobilisation while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continued preparations for the poll.
Although political activities remained largely peaceful across most parts of the state, Yiaga Africa identified developments in Odo-Otin and Osogbo as particularly concerning, saying the nature of the incidents suggested a shift from campaign-related tensions to direct interference with electoral activities.
PVC Attack Raises Fear of Voter Disenfranchisement
A major concern in the report was the reported attack on an INEC PVC distribution centre in Ward 02, Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
Yiaga Africa said about 10 armed individuals invaded Oyinlola DC School on July 26 while the PVC collection exercise was underway. The attackers reportedly fired shots into the air, forcing voters and INEC officials to flee the centre.
The assailants reportedly took an unspecified number of PVCs, disrupting the exercise for at least one day. The report said the identities of the attackers had not been established as of the time of reporting, while there was no official confirmation of the recovery of the stolen PVCs or arrests over the incident.
The development has raised concerns about the ability of affected voters to participate in the election. Yiaga Africa warned that unless the stolen PVCs are accounted for and effective measures are provided for affected voters, the incident could result in disenfranchisement.
The organisation therefore urged INEC to conduct an audit of the stolen PVCs and publish the number affected, alongside the PVC collection rate, before election day.
Political Violence Raises Security Concerns
Yiaga Africa also documented incidents of violence in Osogbo, particularly around motor parks, which it said had heightened security concerns ahead of the election.
On July 15, violence was reportedly recorded around Idi Seke and Oke Baale following clashes involving rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). According to the report, individuals alleged to be affiliated with the Accord Party attacked motor parks reportedly controlled by APC supporters.
Two people were reportedly killed and several others injured. The violence heightened tension in Osogbo, with some commercial banks reportedly closing early the following day as a precaution.
Another incident occurred on July 20 around Oju Irin Motor Park in the Old Garage area of Osogbo. Yiaga Africa said individuals reportedly associated with the APC, accompanied by transport workers and suspected thugs, attempted to take control of the motor park.
The report said police personnel reportedly provided security during the operation, while personnel of the Osun State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun Corps, reportedly resisted the takeover.
Yiaga Africa said the incident disrupted transport and commercial activities for about two days and raised concerns about institutional tensions and perceptions of partisan security deployment.
INEC Steps Up Preparations for August 15 Poll
Despite the security concerns, Yiaga Africa said INEC had continued to make progress with preparations for the election.
PVC distribution began on July 22 across all 332 Registration Areas in the state. The exercise covered voters who applied for transfers, replacement of lost or damaged PVCs and updates during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
Yiaga Africa observers reported PVC distribution in all 30 LGAs. However, the organisation noted that disruptions in Odo-Otin and Ife Central had affected the ability of some voters to access their cards.
INEC also commenced training for ad hoc election officials during the reporting period. The training included theoretical instruction and practical simulations on election-day procedures, including voter accreditation with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), results management and the use of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal.
Yiaga Africa said the activities were important signs of INEC’s operational readiness but stressed that timely completion and effective implementation would be necessary to ensure a smooth election.
Campaigns Spread Across Osun
Political parties have intensified their campaigns as the August 15 election draws closer, with activities spreading to communities across the state.
According to the report, the Accord Party recorded campaign activities in 29 of Osun’s 30 LGAs, with Atakunmosa West the only LGA where no campaign activity was reported during the observation period.
The APC also maintained a broad campaign presence, while the ADC continued to record significant visibility. The ADP’s activities were comparatively limited, with campaign activities reported in Ifedayo, Irewole, Olorunda and Oriade LGAs.
Yiaga Africa said the campaigns had moved beyond simply establishing party visibility, with political actors increasingly engaging in community-level mobilisation and efforts to consolidate voter support.
The report described the election as highly competitive and geographically widespread, with political mobilisation taking place across virtually the entire state.
Youth and Women Drive Grassroots Mobilisation
Youth and women groups have become increasingly involved in campaign activities across Osun, according to Yiaga Africa.
Observers witnessed or received reports of youth and women wings of the Accord Party, APC and ADC participating in voter mobilisation across several LGAs.
Different factions of market women associations were also observed campaigning for the Accord Party, ADC and APC, reflecting the growing importance of organised grassroots groups in the election campaigns.
Yiaga Africa said the increased participation of these groups represented a shift towards more sustained community-level mobilisation as political parties seek to reach voters directly.
The organisation, however, urged parties and their supporters to keep their activities peaceful and comply with the Electoral Act, the Peace Accord and other electoral guidelines.
Yiaga Africa Calls for Stronger Election Security
Yiaga Africa said the remaining days before the election would require greater attention to the protection of voters, electoral personnel, materials and facilities.
The organisation urged INEC to coordinate with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to ensure intelligence-led and impartial deployment of security personnel.
It also called for adequate security around electoral facilities and activities, particularly in areas already identified as hotspots.
Security agencies were urged to investigate incidents of political and electoral violence and prosecute those responsible, including individuals linked to violence that resulted in fatalities.
Political parties were also asked to continue peaceful campaigns and instruct their members, supporters and youth groups to avoid violence, intimidation, hate speech and other activities capable of escalating tensions.
Yiaga Africa further called on civil society organisations and the National Orientation Agency to intensify voter education and provide accurate information on PVC collection, voting procedures and other aspects of the electoral process.
As Osun moves towards the August 15 election, Yiaga Africa said the state remains on course for the poll, but warned that the combination of intense political competition, widespread grassroots mobilisation and emerging security threats makes the final days particularly important.
The organisation said sustained compliance with electoral rules, impartial security deployment and the protection of electoral personnel and materials would be critical to ensuring a peaceful, credible, transparent and inclusive election.
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