Voice Air Media, VAM News Update

Ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial election in Osun state, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in the State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, has revealed plans to engage all registered political parties and electorates as major stakeholders in any election.

Agboke disclosed this on Thursday while hosting members of the Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA) led by its chairman, Mukhtar Ajelogbon at the state headquarters of the electoral umpire.

While acknowledging the role of digital media especially Osun Online Publishers Association in promoting the commission’s activities in Osun and beyond, Agboke said there is need for the Commission to continue in engaging the stakeholders ahead of election.

He stressed that the Commission will engage all political parties ahead of the 2026 guber election, noting that the commission will be moving from one political party office to the other for sensitization.

“It is an opportunity that you come on a familiarization visit, we really acknowledge your support and roles in supporting us. Some of you are known faces and the commission shall continue to be your partner.

“Part of our activities ahead of the next election is that we are going to engage the political parties, we are going to have scheduled from next month (15th of May, 2024) to move from one political party office to the other.

“We are going to visit their executives, we are going to sit down and talk to ourselves to map out ways to get things done peacefully,” Agboke said.

Osun REC also described vote buying as a terrible cankerworm to the electioneering process in Nigeria, urging politicians to desist from vote buying practices.

According to him, “Vote buying is still a terrible cankerworm, the stakeholders are not facing the reality of allowing it to go, so there is need for us to continue to engage the public in the danger of collecting money from political parties during elections.

Earlier, the chairman, Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA), Mukhtar Ajelogbon, said they purposely visited the Honorable REC to introduce the new leadership of the association and look for ways to partner with the Commission.