The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over the growing menace of vote buying ahead of the Osun State’s August 15, 2026 governorship election, urging media practitioners to play a more active role in exposing the practice and supporting efforts to prosecute offenders.

The Commission said journalists should treat vote buying as a major investigative priority before, during and after the election by documenting incidents with sufficient details to aid law enforcement agencies.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated this yesterday in his keynote address delivered at a one-day media stakeholders’ forum in Osogbo, Osun State.

Haruna, who was represented by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, described vote buying as the most disturbing trend recorded during the June 20 Ekiti State governorship election.

He said the Commission expected the media to intensify investigative reporting by identifying the locations, individuals involved, amounts exchanged and the methods used to coordinate vote trading.

Haruna said that such reports would strengthen enforcement efforts involving INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said the technologies performed credibly during the Ekiti governorship election, with BVAS recording a 96 per cent functionality rate and IReV achieving a 98 per cent result upload completion rate.

In a goodwill message, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, Adeyemi Aboderin, pledged the support of journalists in the state towards combating vote buying and mobilising voters.

He expressed confidence that the polls would record improvements over the recent Ekiti governorship election.

MEANWHILE, the Imole Campaign Council for the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke has commended the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, for the arrest of political thugs in the state.

In a statement yesterday, the Campaign Council’s Spokesman, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said the arrest had guaranteed the safety of the good people of Osun and the peaceful conduct of the governorship election.

HOWEVER, the former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, yesterday, dismissed rumours of planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He, however, reaffirmed his loyalty to the party.

Omisore, who dispelled the rumours after attending the monthly meeting of the APC elders caucus, “Igbimo-Agba Osun,” held at Ilobu, headquarters of Irepodun Local Council of the state, described the development as ridiculous and unfounded.

The former deputy governor promised to ensure the electoral victory for the party during the forthcoming governorship election.

In a statement by the Director-General of his campaign group, Israel Famurewa, Omisore insisted that he remained a member of APC and would continue to work for the overall interest of the party.