The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why the distribution of sensitive electoral materials for Saturday’s Osun governorship election was delayed.
The commission said the delay was caused by the late arrival of newly printed ballot papers and result sheets from Abuja following the addition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate to the ballot.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of the Osun election, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, disclosed this as the commission commenced the distribution of the sensitive materials to the state’s 30 Local Government Areas.
The exercise is being conducted at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Osogbo, the state capital.
Ajayi said the commission began the distribution immediately the materials arrived to ensure they reached their designated locations ahead of Saturday’s election.
The delay followed INEC’s decision to include SDP governorship candidate Francis Ajala and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, on the ballot.
Their inclusion increased the number of political parties contesting the election from 14 to 15.
INEC had announced the addition of the SDP candidates on Wednesday, following a court order directing the commission to recognise and include Ajala in the election.
The commission said the decision followed a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 22, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, filed by the SDP and Ajala against INEC.
According to INEC, the court ordered it to “forthwith recognise, accept, upload, process and publish” Ajala’s name and particulars as the SDP governorship candidate.
The commission subsequently had to reproduce the ballot papers and result sheets to reflect the addition.
“Consequently, the ballot papers for the election, scheduled to hold on Saturday, 15th August 2026, are being reproduced to reflect this addition, bringing to 15 the total number of political parties contesting the election,” INEC said.
“The result sheets for the election are also being reproduced alongside the ballot papers to reflect the inclusion of the SDP candidate.”
The statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, on August 12.
INEC had earlier said the reproduced ballot papers would arrive in Osun on Thursday, August 13, and would immediately be transported to the various Local Government Area offices as part of its standard distribution procedure.
The commission is expected to complete the deployment of the sensitive materials ahead of Saturday’s poll, when voters across Osun’s 30 Local Government Areas will choose their next governor.
The election features 15 candidates, including incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji and ADC candidate Najeem Salaam.
