OSOGBO, Nigeria — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties and their candidates participating in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election to honour the peace accord they signed and commit themselves to a peaceful poll.

Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, made the appeal on Thursday amidst rising tensions ahead of the election.

Candidates contesting in the August 15 governorship election had on July 30 signed a peace accord organized by the National Peace Committee to ensure a non-violent poll.

A total of 14 political parties signed the accord, which was presided over by the NPC convener, Bishop Matthew Kukah. Oketola recalled that the NPC, in collaboration with INEC, facilitated the accord as a public commitment by political actors to maintain peace and abide by the law before, during, and after the election.

“It is important for all of us to understand that it was a public component by political parties with the people of Osun State that come what way, we will maintain peace and order and ensure that we maintain discipline and do everything by the law on election day,” Oketola stated.

He stressed the importance of political actors honouring the accord, questioning its purpose if it were to be disregarded.

INEC has conducted a comprehensive assessment of the state and engaged various stakeholders, including political parties, traditional institutions, voting blocs, and civil society organizations, regarding concerns about possible violence. Oketola acknowledged that tensions have escalated since the commission’s stakeholders’ engagement.

Despite the heightened tensions, INEC has deployed a large team, including its chairman and national commissioners, to assess the state’s preparedness. The commission is confident that the election will be conducted in a secure environment, with the police announcing the deployment of 15,000 personnel to the state.

Oketola also disclosed that the deployment of non-sensitive materials to local government areas is complete. The transfer of sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria vaults to local government offices is scheduled to begin on Friday, followed by their movement to Registration Area Centres for officials to camp overnight.

He anticipates that all 3,700 polling units in Osun State will have Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) officials present by 8:00 AM on election day, with voting commencing by 8:30 AM.

Regarding technology, Oketola confirmed that INEC has tested its systems through a mock accreditation exercise and is satisfied with the outcome. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been configured and upgraded, with backup devices increased from approximately 600 to over 1,300 to mitigate potential technical challenges.

“We are putting in a lot of safeguards, and it can’t be bypassed by anyone. So, it’s been configured, and the election will hold,” he assured.

Oketola urged voters to disregard misinformation and disinformation, warning against generalizing isolated technical incidents as evidence of electoral system failure. He emphasized that isolated glitches at one or two polling units do not signify a failure of the BVAS.

INEC will operate situational rooms in Osogbo and Abuja to monitor the election, enabling officials to track developments at polling units and communicate with presiding officers. Over 2.3 million registered voters are eligible to participate in the election.

He appealed to voters to remain calm and avoid confrontation if they observe irregularities, urging them to report such incidents through appropriate channels. “If you are in a polling unit and you notice irregularities, first, we would encourage such voters to be calm, don’t confront, don’t resort to self-help,” he advised.

Vote buying was identified as a significant threat to election credibility, with Oketola warning political actors and voters against circumventing the law through digital transactions. He reiterated that vote buying is criminal and against the electoral act, carrying legal liabilities for both buyers and sellers.

Oketola stressed that credible elections require the collective efforts of INEC, security agencies, political actors, and voters, noting that INEC has no candidate in any election.