The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), police and other security agencies to ensure that voters freely choose their leaders in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The rights group warned against violence, vote-buying, intimidation and manipulation, saying the election must not become another test of Nigeria’s ability to protect the integrity of its democratic process.

In a statement signed on Friday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA demanded strict neutrality from INEC, the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before, during and after the poll.

It called for zero tolerance for armed thuggery, ballot snatching, voter intimidation, harassment of opposition supporters and other forms of electoral criminality.

HURIWA said security and law-enforcement agencies must demonstrate that they are institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not instruments for advancing the interests of any political party.

It particularly warned against selective arrests or harassment of opposition supporters while political actors aligned with those in power were allowed to operate with impunity.

The group also challenged INEC to demonstrate its independence and professionalism, describing the Osun election as an important test of public confidence in the commission ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It urged the commission to ensure that eligible voters could cast their ballots without fear and that the collation and declaration of results were conducted transparently and in accordance with the law.

“INEC must therefore demonstrate absolute independence, transparency, professionalism and impartiality throughout the process,” HURIWA said.

The organisation also demanded maximum transparency in the electronic transmission and publication of polling-unit results, saying voters should be able to monitor the movement of results through the various stages of collation.

It warned that any opaque results-management system could fuel suspicion and undermine confidence in the outcome.

HURIWA’s call comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the election, with the commission deploying thousands of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices and increasing its backup capacity to minimise disruptions during accreditation.

The police have also announced the deployment of about 15,000 personnel across the state for the election, with the force promising to remain neutral and professional.

The rights group, however, warned political parties and candidates against turning the state into a battleground for political competition, urging them to reject violence and financial inducement.

“Political power must come from the ballot box and not from the barrel of a gun, bags of money or the manipulation of electoral institutions,” it said.

HURIWA said the election would have implications beyond Osun, arguing that its conduct would influence Nigerians’ perception of the preparedness of INEC and security agencies for the 2027 general elections.

The group therefore urged INEC to use the poll to demonstrate that Nigeria’s electoral democracy was progressing rather than regressing.

It also called on security agencies to protect voters rather than intimidate them, while ensuring that those involved in vote-buying, violence and other electoral offences were arrested and prosecuted regardless of political affiliation.

HURIWA further urged political parties to respect electoral rules and commit themselves to peaceful conduct.

The organisation said the people of Osun State had a constitutional right to freely choose their leaders, warning that any attempt by politicians, security officials or electoral personnel to subvert that choice would amount to an assault on democratic governance.

The warning comes amid heightened political tension in the state, with recent disputes involving the EFCC’s restriction of a state government account adding to concerns about the neutrality of state institutions in the run-up to the election. The EFCC has maintained that its action was linked to an investigation into alleged financial misconduct and not the election.

With the poll scheduled for Saturday, August 15, HURIWA said the responsibility now rested on INEC, security agencies, political parties and voters to ensure that the election reflected the genuine choice of the people.