The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified 11 local government areas in Osun State as potential security flashpoints ahead of the August 15 governorship election, directing security agencies to intensify efforts to prevent violence, thuggery and other threats to the electoral process.

Banks’ Bad Loans Rise Above CBN’s 5% Prudential Limit

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Osun Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum in Osogbo. He said the commission had integrated its Electoral Risk Management (ERM) framework into preparations for the election to monitor, assess and respond to security, political and operational risks. According to him, the identified hotspots are Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade local government areas.

“These hotspot locations will receive specialised, high-visibility security deployments. Security forces have been issued strict operational directives to neutralise thuggery, cult activities, and any attempt at ballot disruption, while maintaining absolute professional neutrality,” Amupitan said, adding that the commission had mapped vulnerable areas and prioritised targeted security interventions.

The INEC chairman also announced that the commission would conduct a mock accreditation exercise on August 1 across 12 selected local government areas to test the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and assess operational readiness ahead of the election. He disclosed that Osun State has 2,339,233 registered voters, with 322,822 newly registered voters having collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). He added that the PVC collection deadline had been extended to July 31 to enable more eligible voters to obtain their cards.

Addressing the recent attack on an INEC PVC distribution centre in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Amupitan assured voters that the stolen PVCs would not be used during the election. He explained that the commission had permanently blacklisted the serial numbers of the stolen cards on its central server and directed the ICT Department to reprint replacement PVCs for affected voters. He also revealed that security agencies were making progress in tracking those responsible for the attack.

Also speaking at the forum, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, assured residents that the police and other security agencies had developed comprehensive plans to safeguard voters, electoral officials, observers, journalists and election materials throughout the exercise. He pledged professional and impartial policing, warning that anyone attempting to disrupt the election would face the full weight of the law regardless of political affiliation or social status. He also urged political parties and their supporters to shun violence, avoid inflammatory rhetoric and resolve electoral grievances through lawful means.