The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that voting is progressing smoothly across Osun State, with 3,556 of the state’s 3,763 polling units opened as of 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. This figure represents 94.5 per cent of the total polling units in the state.
In a post on its official X account on Saturday, INEC provided an update on the governorship election, noting that the remaining 207 polling units, which account for 5.5 per cent, experienced minor delays but had all become operational by 9 a.m. The commission described the deployment and opening process as peaceful and orderly.
RAC Activation Completed Ahead of Election
INEC also announced that the Registration Area Centre (RAC) activation exercise for the election was completed at 6:09 p.m. on Friday. “RAC activation was successfully completed (100%) at 6:09 p.m. yesterday in preparation for the Osun State Governorship Election,” the commission said.
The commission added: “The RAC activation and polling unit opening processes were conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and timely manner.” The successful activation of all RACs is a critical step in ensuring the smooth conduct of the election, as these centres serve as hubs for the distribution of election materials and the coordination of polling unit activities.
Candidates and Political Landscape
The election is being held to elect a governor for another four-year term, with 14 candidates contesting. Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) has fielded Bola Oyebamiji, a former Osun commissioner for finance and former chief executive officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate is Najeem Salaam, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.
The election has been preceded by political realignments and concerns over possible violence, with observers identifying the contest largely as a battle between the ruling Accord and the APC, despite the participation of 14 political parties. The Osun chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has no candidate in the election, adopted Mr Adeleke for the poll and directed its structures across the state to support his re-election on the Accord platform.
Background and Early Voting Progress
The election is taking place against the backdrop of the 2022 governorship contest in which Mr Adeleke defeated the then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola. INEC’s latest update indicates that, despite initial delays in some polling units, the opening process was substantially completed within the first hour of voting.
As of 8:30 a.m., the vast majority of polling units were operational, and by 9 a.m. all units were open. This swift resolution of minor delays reflects the commission’s preparedness and the cooperation of stakeholders. The peaceful and orderly conduct of the opening process is a positive sign for the rest of the day’s voting activities.
The outcome of the election will determine the leadership of Osun State for the next four years, with the main contenders being the incumbent governor and the APC challenger. The successful completion of the RAC activation and the opening of all polling units set the stage for a full day of voting across the state.
