INEC Dismisses Claims Of Ghost, Hired Voters In Osun Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims of ghost and hired voters during the August 15 Osun State governorship election, saying the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System made such voting impossible.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, stated this on ARISE NEWS on Monday while reviewing the outcome of the election, which was won by Accord Party candidate and incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Oketola urged Nigerians to be cautious about unverified information, videos and claims circulating on social media, particularly in the aftermath of the election.

He said the introduction of BVAS had strengthened the accreditation process and made it impossible for unregistered individuals or persons not accredited to vote at a polling unit.

“We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true. With BVAS in play for any election in Nigeria, there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters,” he said.

According to him, only voters registered and accredited for a specific polling unit could participate in the election, urging Nigerians to verify information before sharing or relying on it.

“You cannot vote in an election unless you have been registered and accredited for that specific polling unit. Be careful what you believe,” Oketola said.

He also disclosed that the Osun election recorded a 50.116 per cent voter turnout, describing the figure as higher than those recorded in several recent off-cycle elections.

Oketola said the turnout demonstrated that effective planning and logistics, combined with voters’ willingness to participate, could help address voter apathy in Nigerian elections.

He further described the peaceful conclusion of the election as a sign of growing maturity in Nigeria’s democratic process, despite tensions and concerns raised during the campaign period.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Oketola said recent off-cycle elections had provided important lessons and served as test runs for the commission. He assured Nigerians that INEC remained committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections, while urging political parties, security agencies and other stakeholders to support the electoral process.