Osogbo, Osun State. Saturday, 15 August 2026
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Election Working Group (EWG) has continued its statewide observation of the Osun State Governorship Election, reporting that polling activities across the majority of locations visited have remained peaceful, orderly and largely compliant with electoral procedures, while drawing attention to an isolated incident capable of undermining the secrecy of the ballot.
Since accreditation and voting commenced at 8:30 a.m., NBA observers deployed across the State have monitored electoral activities in several Local Government Areas, assessing compliance with the Electoral Act, INEC Regulations and Guidelines, security deployment, voter turnout and the overall integrity of the process.
Peaceful Polls Across Majority of Visited Polling Units
The observation team visited Polling Unit 005, Salvation Army Primary School, Atoja E Ward, Osogbo Local Government Area, where accreditation and voting commenced promptly at 8:30 a.m. The process remained peaceful throughout the morning, with impressive voter turnout and adequate deployment of security personnel.
A similar atmosphere was observed at Polling Unit 034 (Open Space), Osogbo Local Government, where voters conducted themselves peacefully while election officials carried out their duties professionally.
Further observations from Irepodun Local Government Area, Ward B, Oluwomi Quarters, Polling Unit 005, showed that voting progressed smoothly from the scheduled commencement time of 8:30 a.m. The polling unit, with 350 registered voters, recorded orderly voting, and by midday, voters had concluded voting and remained peacefully assembled in anticipation of the commencement of vote counting.
At Irepodun LGA, Ilobu, Ward 2, Polling Unit 001, where 1,199 registered voters are expected to vote, electoral officials maintained an orderly process, while voters exercised patience as the exercise progressed.
The NBA Election Working Group also visited Olorunda Local Government Area, Oba Oke Registration Area, near St. Peter’s Primary School, where two polling units were observed.
One polling unit with 650 registered voters recorded a peaceful and orderly exercise from the commencement of voting at 8:30 a.m. The location holds particular significance as it is situated within the hometown of the Immediate Past Chairman of the NBA Osogbo Branch, Saheed Olayemi Abiona, Esq.
Another polling unit within the same Registration Area, bearing Registration Area Code 010, Polling Unit Code 010, and Local Government Code 027, recorded 603 registered voters. Voting proceeded peacefully with no disruption recorded during the NBA observation team’s visit.
NBA Raises Concern Over Breach of Ballot Secrecy
While the overall conduct of the election has remained commendable, the NBA Election Working Group recorded an incident at Orolu Local Government Area that raises concerns regarding compliance with electoral guidelines.
Observers reported that several voters voluntarily entered the voting cubicle accompanied by third parties who assisted them in casting their ballots, despite the voters showing no visible signs of disability, age-related incapacity or visual impairment.
Under the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, assistance inside the voting cubicle is strictly limited to voters who are blind, physically challenged or otherwise unable to mark their ballot independently, and such assistance must be provided by a person of the voter’s choice.
The NBA Election Working Group notes that this practice, if left unchecked, has the potential to compromise the constitutional principle of secret balloting and may create opportunities for vote-buying or voter inducement by enabling third parties to verify how voters cast their ballots.
The affected polling unit has 945 registered voters, and the incident has been documented as part of the Association’s independent election observation records.
Collation Commences as Polls Conclude in Several Areas
As voting concluded in many polling units across the State, NBA observers confirmed that sorting, counting and collation of results had commenced in several Local Government Areas, while a limited number of polling units experienced delayed voting due to operational challenges and consequently continued the exercise beyond the general closing period.
This development aligns with INEC’s electoral procedure, which permits voting to continue at polling units where eligible voters remain in the queue or where the commencement of polls was delayed.
Across locations visited by the NBA Election Working Group, security agencies maintained visible deployments, while electoral officials continued to discharge their responsibilities professionally. The peaceful conduct of voters across most polling units further contributed to the orderly atmosphere observed throughout the day.
The NBA Election Working Group will continue to monitor the collation process and document developments until the conclusion of the election, in line with its mandate to provide an independent, objective and evidence-based assessment of the electoral process.
Election Observation Summary
- Polls commenced from 8:30 a.m. in the majority of polling units visited.
- Strong voter turnout was recorded across Osogbo, Olorunda, Irepodun and Orolu Local Government Areas.
- Security presence remained visible and adequate in observed locations.
- Vote counting and collation have commenced in several Local Government Areas.
- One significant concern was documented in Orolu LGA, where the improper assistance of able-bodied voters inside voting cubicles raises concerns over compliance with ballot secrecy requirements and the possibility of vote-buying.
The Nigerian Bar Association Election Working Group remains committed to providing independent, impartial and professional observation throughout the electoral process, with further situation reports to follow as collation progresses across Osun State.
Communication Officer
Nigerian Bar Association
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