Security has been significantly intensified at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office along Gbongan-Ibadan Road in Osogbo as Osun State prepares for the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, 15 August 2026.

Large numbers of security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, have been sighted on the premises. Preparations for their deployment across the state’s 30 local government areas are ongoing.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun, Oluwatoyin Babalola, is meeting with National Commissioners and supporting Resident Electoral Commissioners from other states to finalise arrangements for the poll.

Election stakeholders, including representatives of civil society organisations, journalists and observers, are also present at the INEC office.

The election will take place across 3,763 polling units in 332 wards.

• INEC ballot papers

INEC has reassured political parties, civil society organisations, media and the good people of Osun State of its total readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna , gave the assurance , yesterday, disclosing that the ballot papers and result sheets have arrived in Osogbo, the state capital.

They were sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office, from where they will be distributed to other parts of the state.

The ballot papers and result sheets were reprinted following a court judgment which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put the name of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot.

With this addition, 15 candidates are now in the race.

The election will hold in 332 wards spread across 30 local government areas, “ he said.

• Osun governorship candidates

President Bola Tinubu has call out to the people of the state to go out on Saturday and vote the candidates of their choice without fear of molestation by political thugs.

President Tinubu also enjoined all political stakeholders to desist from violence, intimidation, and harassment, and embrace peace before, during, and after the governorship election.

The president spoke through the Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign.

Akpabio assured that the government had put in place enough security measures to ensure free, fair, and credible election tomorrow.

“Let me assure all Osun indigenes that adequate security have been provided all over the state to ensure people come out to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice without any fear or intimidation,” he said.

Recall that as part of efforts to ensure security during the Osun State election, Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, announced the prohibition of state government-established security outfits, quasi-security groups, and private security organisations from participating in election-security duties.