••• CDD Warns Against Violence, Vote Buying, Misinformation
By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) has called on political parties, security agencies, electoral officials and voters to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible governorship election in Osun State scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
CDD, through its Election Analysis Centre (EAC), said its assessment of the pre-election environment showed that the state remained relatively calm, but not entirely peaceful, with emerging issues requiring heightened attention ahead of the poll.
The organisation said its assessment followed engagements with electoral officials, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, community leaders and other stakeholders across the state.
It expressed concern over reports of killings and other security incidents in parts of Osun, as well as tensions and alleged violations involving road transport workers’ unions.
Although CDD said it could not establish a direct link between the incidents and the election, it warned that their occurrence ahead of the poll underscored the need for vigilance and effective coordination among security agencies.
The group also identified vote buying and voter inducement as major risks, noting that prevailing economic hardship could make some voters more vulnerable to monetary and other forms of inducement.
CDD, however, stressed that the perception should not be interpreted as evidence that vote buying would necessarily be widespread.
It urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Police and other relevant agencies to act firmly, impartially and within the law against attempts to compromise voters’ choices.
The organisation further raised concerns over the spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly fabricated notices purportedly issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to CDD, false information circulating online could confuse voters, undermine confidence in the electoral process and affect voter participation.
It therefore urged citizens, political actors and the media to verify election-related information before sharing or amplifying it, while calling on INEC to respond promptly to false information concerning the election.
CDD also noted recent shifts in political alignments in the state, including reports of support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate by the faction associated with former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
It described the development as evidence of the fluid nature of the political environment and urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to manage competition responsibly and reject intimidation, violence and other forms of electoral misconduct.
The group acknowledged INEC’s preparations for the election but urged the Commission to ensure the timely deployment of personnel and sensitive materials, effective functioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), as well as clear communication with voters throughout the process.
CDD also called on security agencies to maintain a professional, impartial and voter-centred posture, while protecting voters, election officials, journalists, observers and other participants in the electoral process.
It urged the people of Osun to come out peacefully, reject vote buying and intimidation, and exercise their civic rights without fear.
The organisation disclosed that it had deployed trained observers across all 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State, while its Election Analysis Centre would monitor developments throughout the electoral process and issue updates based on verified information.
CDD said the credibility of the election would ultimately depend on the conduct of INEC, security agencies, political parties and candidates, the media, civil society organisations and, most importantly, the voters.
It called on all stakeholders to put the interests of the people of Osun above partisan considerations and ensure that the final outcome reflects the genuine will of the electorate.
The statement was signed by Dauda Garuba, PhD, Director, CDD-West Africa, and Professor Victor Adetula, Chair, CDD Election Analysis Centre, and issued by Faridha Salihu-Lukman, Communications Officer.
