By Adeola Kunle

Osun Poll: Sensitive Materials Reach Osogbo as INEC Mobilises Over 30,000 NYSC Members

Sensitive electoral materials have arrived in Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, as the Independent National Electoral Commission prepares to draw ad-hoc personnel from more than 30,000 members of the National Youth Service Corps.

The development comes amid heightened security preparations across the state, with 25,310 personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deployed for the election.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, disclosed the NYSC deployment plan on Monday while providing an update on the commission’s preparations for the August 15, 2026 poll.

Oketola explained that INEC had not determined the exact number of NYSC members who would eventually serve as ad-hoc personnel, but said the commission had access to a pool of more than 30,000 corps members.

He said, “For number of ad-hoc staff, INEC will be pulling from a pool of over 30,000 NYSC members that we’re working with for the election.”

Osun currently has 2,339,233 registered voters. However, Oketola said he could not provide the latest number of Permanent Voter Cards collected following the extension of the PVC collection exercise.

According to him, the figure of 2,339,233 represents the total number of registered voters eligible to participate in the election.

Electoral materials already secured

Oketola confirmed that both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials were already in Osun State, although he declined to disclose when the sensitive materials arrived because of security considerations.

He explained that the sensitive materials, including ballot papers and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, had been secured in a Central Bank of Nigeria facility.

The materials are expected to begin moving to local government offices on Friday, while the distribution of other non-sensitive materials is scheduled to begin on Thursday.

According to the INEC official, security personnel, electoral officers and other relevant officials will be invited to the CBN facility for the distribution and movement of sensitive materials.

By Friday, Registration Area Centres will be opened, with sensitive and non-sensitive materials, ad-hoc personnel, security officers and transportation vehicles moved to the designated locations ahead of election day.

The arrangement is intended to ensure that electoral personnel and materials are positioned early enough for voting to commence at 8:30am on Saturday.

INEC is also sending generators, water tanks and other logistical equipment to Osun. Oketola explained that the large volume of equipment required for the election meant that everything could not be transported to the state simultaneously.

He also stressed that revealing the exact movement schedule of sensitive materials could create security risks, including the possibility of attacks or ambushes.

25,310 security personnel deployed

A total of 25,310 security personnel have been assigned to election duties across Osun State.

The deployment consists of 15,000 police officers, 10,210 personnel of the NSCDC and approximately 100 officers from the EFCC.

Fourteen political parties are expected to participate in the August 15 governorship election.

Among the leading contenders are the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party; the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji; and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salam.

The NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Audi, had directed the deployment of 10,000 additional personnel from 10 neighbouring state commands to strengthen security operations in Osun.

The personnel are being drawn from Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, with approximately 1,000 personnel coming from each command.

They will supplement personnel already stationed in Osun and operate across the state’s 30 local government areas, including polling units and locations involving electoral officials, observers, journalists and voters.

Specialised NSCDC units have also been deployed. They include the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad and K9 Unit.

These units are expected to assist with intelligence gathering, crime prevention, crowd management, protection of critical infrastructure and other election-related duties.

The NSCDC Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Operations, Ayuba Phillip, alongside designated Assistant Commandant-Generals and other senior officers, will relocate to Osun to supervise the corps’ operations during the election.

Audi directed personnel to remain professional, neutral and respectful of citizens' rights throughout the exercise.

He also warned political thugs and anyone planning to disrupt the election that they would be dealt with according to the law.

Military takes over security at INEC office

Armed military personnel have also taken up security duties at the Osun State headquarters of INEC in Osogbo.

Soldiers were observed stationed around the commission’s office, while about three Armoured Personnel Carriers were deployed to reinforce security.

Before the military arrived, anti-riot mobile policemen and NSCDC personnel had been responsible for security at the INEC headquarters.

A security source said the soldiers arrived on Sunday and formally assumed security duties on Monday morning. More police and NSCDC personnel are expected to join them as the election approaches.

The Osun INEC Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode, meanwhile, said the commission was fully prepared for Saturday’s poll.

He disclosed that 12 of the 13 activities contained in the election timetable had already been completed, leaving only election day.

EFCC joins election security operation

The EFCC is deploying approximately 100 officers to Osun to monitor the election and prevent vote buying and other forms of electoral inducement.

A senior EFCC official confirmed the deployment, saying the officers would be on the ground to ensure that voters were not induced.

IPAC calls for peaceful election

The Inter-Party Advisory Council has appealed to INEC, security agencies, political parties and candidates to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible election.

Speaking in Abuja on Monday after the council’s General Assembly meeting, IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, expressed concern about the rising political tension in Osun.

He urged politicians to moderate their rhetoric and avoid statements or actions capable of increasing tension in the state.

Dantalle called on INEC to conduct the election professionally, independently and impartially while complying with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and its own guidelines.

He also urged the commission to ensure equal treatment of all candidates and parties, resolve complaints promptly and protect the integrity of the electoral process.

According to him, transparent accreditation and voting, timely distribution of materials and accurate collation of results are essential to ensuring public confidence in the election.

He further urged security agencies to operate within their constitutional and statutory responsibilities while protecting voters, candidates, party agents, electoral officials and election materials without discrimination.

Dantalle warned against the use of security agencies to intimidate voters or suppress legitimate political activities.

He also criticised the EFCC’s freezing of Osun State Government accounts, describing the action as politically motivated and warning that it could affect the state administration’s ability to provide essential services.

The IPAC chairman called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to pursue grievances through lawful means and reject electoral violence and vote buying.

He said the credibility of democracy depends not only on the winner of an election but also on whether the process reflects the genuine will of voters.

With sensitive materials already secured and thousands of electoral, security and ad-hoc personnel being positioned across the state, preparations are now at an advanced stage for the August 15 Osun governorship election.

Adeola Kunle