The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has dismissed claims of ghost and hired voters in the August 15 Osun State governorship election, saying the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, prevents anyone who is not duly registered and accredited from voting.
INEC Chief Press Secretary, Dayo Oketola, said the commission’s official record put voter turnout at 50.116 per cent, describing the figure as higher than that recorded in other recent off-cycle elections. He also urged Nigerians to disregard unverified claims and videos circulating online following the poll.
Oketola spoke on ARISE NEWS on Monday, three days after the election, which was won by the Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke, with 511,067 votes where he said the use of BVAS made it impossible for unregistered or unaccredited persons to participate in 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,” he said.
“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 said the election recorded a 50.116 per cent voter turnout, which he described as an improvement on figures from other recent off-cycle elections.
“According to our records, we had a 50.116 per cent 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.
“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,” he said.
Also Read: YIAGA Africa lauds INEC, security agencies over Osun poll
Oketola reiterated that the commission’s official figure was based on the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected and voters accredited for the election.
“Voter turnout in that election was well above 50 per cent, which is higher than the overall average,” he added.
Oketola said the peaceful conclusion of the election, despite tensions and fears during the campaign, demonstrated what he described as a consistent level of maturity in Nigeria’s democracy.
“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.
“Our concern before, during and after any election is to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election guided by the legal framework — the Constitution, the Electoral Act and our regulations,” he said.
Oketola added that candidates dissatisfied with the outcome had the right to seek legal redress. “The legal framework allows for legal steps to be taken by candidates who may be dissatisfied with the outcome.
That is not a source of concern for us because the law provides for it. Naturally, INEC will be a party to the suit, because we acted as the referee in the match,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Oketola said recent off-cycle elections had provided opportunities for INEC to test its preparedness and improve its processes.
“Our mandate is to conduct credible elections for Nigerians. Recent off-cycle elections serve as test runs for 2027,” he said.
Oketola said INEC was prepared to conduct free and fair elections but required the cooperation of political parties, security agencies and other 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.
NAN
