By Seun Ibiyemi
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly investigate alleged cases of vote-buying, electoral violence, intimidation and illegal financing during the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
SERAP, in a petition dated August 15, 2026, also urged the three agencies to facilitate independent scrutiny of the election by regional and international bodies, including the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and relevant United Nations human-rights mechanisms.
The organisation said the investigations should cover alleged financial inducement of voters, misuse of public resources, voter intimidation, violence and other breaches of electoral laws.
It further called for the tracing of funds allegedly used for vote-buying and other unlawful electoral activities, including identifying individuals or organisations that provided, authorised, distributed or facilitated such funds.
SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, who signed the petition, said the credibility of the election result depended largely on whether voters were able to freely exercise their political choices.
“The legitimacy and credibility of the Osun State election result ultimately depend upon whether voters were genuinely able to freely exercise their right to participation and political choice,” the organisation said.
SERAP cited preliminary findings by the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub, which reportedly recorded 323 electoral offences and irregularities across 726 polling units observed as of noon on election day.
According to the organisation, the reported infractions included 103 cases of vote trading, 28 cases of inducement of polling and security officials, 31 cases of voter obstruction, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 14 cases of voter impersonation and 12 cases of multiple voting.
The observers also reportedly recorded seven cases of election-official misconduct and 85 incidents involving the exposure of ballot papers.
SERAP said 38 security incidents were also recorded, including alleged thuggery, attacks on electoral officials and voter intimidation.
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The organisation further referenced reports by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room alleging vote-buying and other forms of inducement, including the distribution of food and drinks at a polling unit in Isokan Local Government Area.
SERAP urged INEC, EFCC and ICPC to preserve and examine relevant banking and mobile-money records, telecommunications data, CCTV footage, polling-unit documents and other digital or documentary evidence.
It also asked the agencies to investigate compliance with Sections 91–94 of the Electoral Act 2026 relating to campaign contributions, expenditure and sources of political funds.
The organisation said persons found to have committed electoral, corruption or other criminal offences should be arrested and prosecuted where appropriate.
It further urged the agencies to publish their findings and make relevant evidence available to competent electoral tribunals and other accountability institutions, where lawful.
SERAP said a coordinated investigation would help address the electoral, financial and criminal dimensions of the alleged infractions while strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
It added that accountability over the Osun election would be important in preventing a recurrence of electoral malpractice, violence and corruption ahead of the 2027 general elections.
