INEC intensifies security plans ahead of Osun governorship poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has stated that extensive risk assessments and collaboration with security agencies are central to its plans for a peaceful governorship poll in Osun State.

The Commission also revealed that it is seeking collaboration with security agencies to step up security preparations for the August 15 governorship election in the state.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, said the Commission had completed security evaluations across all 30 local government areas and shared its findings with security agencies to support election planning.

The meeting, convened by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the South-West, DIG Adegoke Fayoade, brought together heads of security agencies, electoral officials, religious leaders and members of the media. Osun State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan was also in attendance.

Babalola said INEC had entered what she described as its amber zone of election preparation and had trained its personnel in risk management to improve their readiness ahead of the exercise.

“We have also conducted risk management training because we are currently in our amber zone. We have field officers who will be in the field for ground truthing to carry out risk assessments in different locations across the 30 local government areas,” she said.

According to her, “the commission’s assessment identified 385 locations regarded as security flashpoints, with the information already forwarded to security agencies to strengthen operational planning before election day.”

She also disclosed that “INEC mapped about 200 difficult-to-access locations across the state. Some communities remain inaccessible by road and require special logistical arrangements during the election.

“We identified 385 flashpoints in the state, which have been shared with the security agencies. We also identified difficult terrains to guide their operations, because there are still places in the state that are not motorable and cannot be easily accessed.”

The REC added that she had personally visited 29 of the state’s 30 local government areas, including Ila and Ifedayo, where kidnapping incidents had previously been reported, noting that security agencies had assured the commission of adequate protection before, during and after the election.

On election logistics, Babalola said approximately 75 per cent of the materials required for the governorship poll had already been received, adding that non-statutory materials had been distributed to their designated locations.

She said security agencies, led by the police, had continued to reassure INEC of their commitment to maintaining peace, stressing that voter participation would depend on a secure environment.

“Because if we conduct an election and there is no peace, even if we make the best plans and nobody comes out to vote on election day, it will be an exercise in futility,” she said.

Babalola urged security agencies to sustain and strengthen their efforts to reassure residents ahead of the election, while reaffirming INEC’s commitment to delivering “free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent governorship elections.”

Governor Ademola Adeleke will seek re-election on August 15 against other candidates, including Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Dr Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

INEC intensifies security plans ahead of Osun governorship poll