The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, a socio-cultural group, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, describing the exercise as a significant step towards rebuilding confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The group also applauded the people of Osun State and security agencies for their conduct before, during and after the election, saying their commitment to peaceful participation contributed to the successful conclusion of the poll.

In a statement signed by its Convener, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, the forum said the election demonstrated the importance of cooperation among the electoral commission, voters, political parties, candidates and security agencies in ensuring that the electorate’s choice is respected.

Yusuf particularly commended the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, for providing leadership at what he described as a critical period in the country’s electoral development.

He said the commission’s emphasis on neutrality, transparency, security and compliance with the Electoral Act during preparations for the election was commendable.

“The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum commends Prof. Joash Amupitan and the entire leadership of INEC for the professionalism demonstrated in the Osun governorship election.

“We equally commend the people of Osun State who came out to exercise their democratic rights and the security agencies whose efforts helped to maintain order and stability,” the statement said.

The forum said the peaceful participation of voters was particularly encouraging, stressing that democracy could only flourish where citizens were able to freely express their political choices without intimidation or violence.

According to the group, the outcome of the election should provide a basis for further strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It urged INEC and other stakeholders to sustain the gains recorded during the Osun poll while identifying and addressing shortcomings observed during the exercise.

The forum said lessons from the election should be incorporated into preparations for future polls to improve voter confidence, strengthen electoral integrity and deepen democratic participation.

The commendation followed the conclusion of the 2026 Osun governorship election, in which INEC declared the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, winner after he secured victory in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas.