Ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive materials across all 30 local government areas in the state.
The exercise is currently underway at the Osogbo branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), overseen by INEC National Commissioner Kunle Ajayi, who is supervising the election operations in Osun State.
Ajayi attributed the timing of the distribution to the recent addition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the official election ballot, which necessitated the reprinting and delayed delivery of ballots and key electoral materials from Abuja.
Ajayi explained that INEC initiated the early distribution of sensitive materials to ensure that all local centers receive their supplies well ahead of election day.
The move follows the commission’s decision on Wednesday to expand the field of participating political parties to 15 after adding the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Olugbenga Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, to the ballot in compliance with a court ruling.
The Osun State governorship election remains scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.
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Backstory…
The distribution of sensitive electoral materials comes just one day before the August 15 Osun governorship election, as INEC races to complete final preparations across the state’s 30 local government areas. The exercise was delayed after the Federal High Court ordered the commission to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Ajala, and his running mate on the ballot, forcing INEC to reproduce ballot papers and result sheets.
The reprinted materials arrived in Osogbo late Thursday and distribution began that night, with party agents present as the materials were sorted and moved towards the various LGAs. INEC said the delay was linked specifically to the late arrival of the newly printed materials from Abuja following the court-ordered inclusion of the SDP.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in the final stretch of the election, with security agencies also stepping up their presence across the state. On Friday, police officers conducted a route march in Osogbo as part of measures to reassure residents and demonstrate readiness to maintain order before and during the poll.
