The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has dismissed claims that ghost or hired voters participated in the Osun State governorship election, insisting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, makes it impossible for unregistered or unaccredited persons to vote.
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Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, stated this on Monday while reacting to claims and videos circulating on social media following the August 15 governorship election.
Oketola cautioned Nigerians against accepting every piece of election-related information circulated online as authentic, warning that artificial intelligence, misinformation and disinformation have made manipulated content increasingly difficult to identify.
“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, a person cannot participate in an election unless the individual is a registered voter and has been successfully accredited at the particular polling unit where he or she is registered.
“You cannot vote in an election unless you have been registered and accredited for that specific polling unit. Be careful what you believe, particularly in an election driven by information management and mismanagement,” Oketola said.
His comments followed the Osun governorship election won by Governor Ademola Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who received 444,815 votes.
Oketola also disclosed that INEC recorded a voter turnout of 50.116 per cent in the election, describing the figure as comparatively high when measured against recent off-cycle elections in the country.
He acknowledged that voter apathy remained a major challenge to Nigeria’s electoral system but maintained that the level of participation recorded in Osun represented an encouraging development.
“Regarding voter apathy: yes, we know voter apathy is a major problem in Nigerian elections. Apathy does not reward poor governance; it enhances it. When people do not turn out to vote, they give their voice to the minority,” he said.
Oketola said Osun had broken what he described as a number of records in voter participation compared with major off-cycle governorship elections conducted since 2015.
“According to our records, we had a 50.116% voter turnout in that election. It is better than other off-cycle elections that have been conducted,” he said.
He attributed the turnout partly to election preparation and the determination of voters to participate in the process.
“This shows that when solid preparedness meets collective resilience on the part of the electorate, people turn out. The lesson is to plan very well — get your planning and logistics right,” he added.
Oketola stressed that INEC’s official voter turnout figure remained 50.116 per cent, explaining that the computation was based on the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected and the number of voters accredited.
“As the Independent National Electoral Commission, our official voter turnout record is 50.116%.
“That is based on the number of PVCs collected and the number of voters accredited.
“Voter turnout in that election was well above 50%, which is higher than the overall average,” he said.
The INEC Chairman’s spokesman also described the peaceful conclusion of the poll, despite tensions and heated political campaigns preceding it, as an indication of growing maturity in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Despite the fearmongering and the tension-soaked campaign in the run-up to the election, the Osun election has come and gone, and a winner has been declared. For me, this marks a consistent level of maturity for Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
He maintained that INEC’s responsibility before, during and after elections was to conduct the exercise in accordance with the Constitution, Electoral Act and the Commission’s regulations and guidelines.
“Our concern before, during, and after any election is to conduct a free, fair, credible, and inclusive election guided by the legal framework — the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and our regulations,” Oketola said.
He added that candidates dissatisfied with an election outcome were entitled to explore the legal remedies provided under the law.
According to him, the prospect of election petitions does not constitute a concern for the Commission because the electoral framework expressly provides avenues for aggrieved candidates to challenge results.
“The legal framework allows for legal steps to be taken by candidates who may be dissatisfied with the outcome. That is not a source of concern for us because the law provides for it. Naturally, INEC will be a party to the suit, because we acted as the referee in the match,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Oketola said recent off-cycle elections were providing INEC with opportunities to test and strengthen its systems.
“Our mandate is to conduct credible elections for Nigerians. Recent off-cycle elections serve as test runs for 2027,” he said.
He maintained that INEC was prepared to deliver credible elections but stressed that cooperation from political parties, security agencies and other stakeholders remained essential.
Oketola particularly urged political parties to refrain from vote-buying and other practices capable of undermining the credibility of elections.
“INEC is prepared to deliver free and fair elections, but we require the cooperation of all stakeholders.
“Political parties must refrain from practices like vote-buying. When security agencies manage threats effectively and INEC is allowed to operate without unnecessary interference, standard electoral processes can be maintained,” he said.
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