The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured residents of Osun State that the August 15 governorship election will be conducted in line with the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The assurance was given by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oluwatoyin Babalola, during a multi-stakeholder roundtable on legal compliance and electoral integrity held in Osogbo on Thursday.
The event was organised by the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, to discuss ways of ensuring a free, fair and credible election.
Speaking at the meeting, Babalola said INEC is fully committed to conducting an election that reflects the true choice of the people of Osun State.
He explained that following the law is the best way to prevent electoral malpractice and build public trust in the electoral process.
According to him, the success of an election depends not only on INEC but also on the behaviour of political parties, candidates, security agencies, election observers and voters before, during and after the polls.
"Electoral integrity is measured not only by the credibility of the election process but also by the conduct of all stakeholders. Compliance with the law remains the strongest protection against electoral malpractice," Babalola said.
The REC also noted that Nigeria has conducted elections in the past where no election petitions were filed after the results were announced.
He assured participants that INEC would continue to carry out its constitutional duties with professionalism, fairness, neutrality and integrity.
"We will conduct an election that is free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive. The outcome of the election will reflect the will of the people of Osun State," he added.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative and South-West Coordinator of the Youth Electoral Reform Project, Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, said the recent Ekiti State governorship election provided important lessons for improving future elections.
She explained that although the Ekiti election recorded some progress, it also exposed operational, legal and administrative challenges that should be addressed before the Osun governorship election.
Aladejare-Salako said the stakeholders' meeting was organised to review those lessons and discuss practical ways to improve transparency, credibility and inclusiveness in the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
She stressed that credible elections and active citizen participation remain the foundation of every democratic society and urged all stakeholders to play their roles in ensuring a peaceful and successful election.
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