As Osun State prepares for the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, voters have been urged to conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly before, during and after casting their ballots.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties and other stakeholders preparing for the poll, every voter has a role to play in ensuring that the election is peaceful, credible and free from violence.
Here are five things voters should avoid on election day:
1. Avoid Violence and Confrontation
Voters should not engage in fights, threats, harassment or any form of physical confrontation at polling units. Political differences should never become a reason for violence.
If a disagreement occurs, voters should remain calm and allow accredited election officials or security personnel to handle the situation.
2. Do Not Engage in Vote-Buying or Vote-Selling
Voters should reject attempts by politicians, agents or other individuals to influence their votes with money, gifts or other inducements.
Vote-buying undermines the democratic process and compromises the voter’s right to freely choose a candidate. INEC has identified vote-buying as one of the issues requiring attention ahead of the Osun poll.
3. Avoid Carrying Weapons or Dangerous Objects
Voters should not go to polling units with firearms, knives or other dangerous weapons. The presence of weapons can create fear and quickly escalate minor disagreements into serious violence.
Voters are encouraged to cooperate with security personnel and comply with lawful instructions at polling locations.
4. Do Not Spread Fake News or Unverified Results
Voters should avoid sharing unverified information, rumours, manipulated videos or false election results on social media.
False information can create unnecessary tension and may provoke violence. Citizens should rely on official announcements from INEC and other credible sources before sharing election-related information.
5. Do Not Destroy Election Materials or Interfere With the Process
Voters must not damage ballot materials, tamper with election equipment, disrupt accreditation or voting, or interfere with the counting and collation process.
Citizens who witness irregularities should report them through the appropriate channels rather than taking the law into their own hands.
Let Osun Vote in Peace
The outcome of an election should be determined by the ballots cast by eligible voters, not by violence, intimidation or manipulation.
As Osun goes to the polls, voters are encouraged to exercise their franchise peacefully, respect the rights of other citizens and allow electoral officials to perform their duties without interference.
The responsibility for a peaceful election belongs to everyone, voters, political parties, candidates, election officials, security agencies, observers and the media.
