INEC Begins Distribution of Sensitive Materials for Osun Governorship Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive electoral materials to the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The distribution is taking place at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Osogbo, the state capital, as the commission intensifies preparations for the August 15 poll.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of the Osun governorship election, Professor Kunle Ajayi, said the distribution was delayed by the late arrival of newly printed ballot papers and other sensitive materials from Abuja.
According to him, the delay followed the recent inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, on the ballot for the election.
Ajayi said the commission commenced the distribution immediately after the materials arrived to ensure that they reached their designated locations ahead of the poll.
INEC had on Wednesday added Ajala and his running mate to the ballot, bringing the number of political parties contesting the election to 15.
The commission explained that the decision followed a judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, delivered on July 22, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026 between the SDP and Ajala on one side and INEC on the other.
The court ordered INEC to recognise, accept, upload, process and publish the name and particulars of Ajala as the SDP candidate for the governorship election.
Following the court order, INEC said the ballot papers had to be reproduced to reflect the addition of the SDP candidate. The result sheets were also reproduced to correspond with the updated ballot papers.
The commission, in a statement signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the reproduced materials were expected to arrive in Osun on Thursday, August 13, before being distributed to the various local government offices in line with its standard procedures.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 15, with INEC urging stakeholders, political parties and voters to support a peaceful and credible electoral process.