By Isa Isawade
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to institute a joint and transparent investigation into the “reported cases of vote-buying, financial inducement, illegal election financing, voter intimidation, violence, misuse of public resources and other electoral offences in connection with the 2026 Osun State governorship election.”
SERAP also urged the agencies “to invite and facilitate independent regional and international assessment through the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and relevant UN human-rights mechanisms, as complementary scrutiny to domestic accountability processes.”
It urged the agencies “to trace the sources and movement of funds allegedly deployed for vote-buying or other unlawful electoral purposes and identify those who provided, authorised, distributed, financed or facilitated the alleged conduct.”
SERAP wanted the agencies “to ensure the preservation and examination of banking and mobile-money records, telecommunications data, CCTV and video footage, polling-unit records and other documentary and digital evidence.”
It called on the bodies to “investigate, promptly arrest and, where appropriate, prosecute persons reasonably suspected of electoral, corruption or other criminal offences, including those who financed or facilitated the alleged conduct.”
In the petition dated 15 August 2026 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the legitimacy and credibility of the Osun State election result ultimately depended upon whether voters were genuinely able to freely exercise their right to participation and political choice.
It avered that where voters are allegedly induced with money or other benefits, threatened with violence, intimidated, obstructed or otherwise coerced, serious questions would arise as to whether the Osun election reflected the free and genuine will of the electorate.
The petition was addressed to Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman, INEC; Olanipekun Olukoyede, Chairman, EFCC; and Musa Aliyu, Chairman, ICPC.
