• Says voters’ registration hits 2.3m, 4,427 BVAS ready
• Ooni alleges political tension becoming unbearable
• Protesters storm stakeholders’ meeting, boo CP
• State govt accuses police of attacking officials

National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, yesterday, met major stakeholders in Osogbo, Osun State capital, amid tight security and tension.

The event, held at the Atlantis Event Centre, was attended by leaders of political parties, security chiefs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the Commissioner of Police (CP) and Co-Chairs of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and INEC directors, among others.

Amupitan, while speaking at the meeting, declared that the umpire would leverage technology and other modern devices to deliver a credible, transparent, fair and acceptable poll.

He also disclosed that 2.3 million people had been registered while 4,427 Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) devices would be deployed for the exercise, including 664 dedicated backup devices.

However, the Osun State government has raised concerns over systematic invasion, attacks and bursting of homes of top state government officials by the State Police Command without a proper search warrant, with the latest being the invasion of the house of Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

In a statement yesterday, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, said the SSG’s residence was busted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, with family members of the SSG taken to unknown destinations.

Meanwhile, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, while raising concerns over the rising political tension in the state ahead of the governorship election, warned that the situation had become “unbearable” and urged NEC to conduct a free, fair and credible poll.

The monarch spoke at his palace in Ile-Ife while receiving Amupitan, who led national commissioners, members of the Commission’s senior management and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) on a courtesy visit to seek the support and blessings of the traditional rulers.

Ooni said that the political atmosphere in Osun State had become increasingly tense, saying that the monarchs had spent several hours deliberating on the situation before the Commission’s arrival.

He described the state’s forthcoming governorship election as a critical test for Nigeria’s democracy, noting that it would set the tone for the 2027 general elections.

The monarch, therefore, urged INEC to remain independent and impartial in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility.

Earlier, Amupitan said the visit was to formally notify the traditional institution that the Osun governorship election would hold on August 15, 2026 and to solicit the support of traditional rulers in ensuring a peaceful process.

He described Osun State as one of Nigeria’s most politically conscious states, recalling that the state had witnessed several keenly contested elections over the years.

Alimi said that the Gestapo operations on the SSG’s residence followed a similar raid and arrest at the residences of about six commissioners and other top functionaries of the government.

The commissioner stated that as of the time the SSG house was invaded, his ward officials were holding a meeting within the compound while the SSG himself was attending the stakeholders’ forum organised by INEC.

Meanwhile, shortly after the arrival of Amupitan, protesters entered the venue advocating for a peaceful election.

The introduction of Osun State CP, Ibrahim Gotan, elicited mixed reactions from the audience.

While representatives from nearly all other political parties present expressed their disapproval by booing him, supporters of one political party applauded him with a standing ovation.

The commissioner’s speech was largely overshadowed by the jeers and shouts from the unfriendly crowd.