August 15 Osun Election: INEC REC vows credible poll, warns result tampering attracts jail term — no option of fine

Akahi News learnt that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, has assured that the Commission will offer full cooperation to media practitioners as the August 15 governorship election draws near.

Mrs Babalola also gave a firm assurance that the upcoming governorship election in the state will be credible, free, inclusive and transparent. Akahi News gathered that the Osun INEC REC made these declarations during a courtesy visit by the Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA) to the INEC State Office in Osogbo on Monday.

It was alleged that the media remains a critical stakeholder in the electoral process, and Mrs Babalola left no one in doubt about her appreciation of that fact. “If there is no media, the society cannot be informed,” she said. “And when it comes to election matters, there is misinformation and disinformation, and the media is needed to correct these anomalies.”

No Room For Manipulation: Jail Term Without Fine For Result Tampering

The REC issued a stern warning that tampering with election results attracts a jail term with no option of fine. Akahi News had earlier reported that electoral offenders in Nigeria have often escaped with light penalties or fines that amount to mere slaps on the wrist. But Mrs Babalola’s message was clear: those who attempt to subvert the will of Osun voters will face the full weight of the law.

She also urged media practitioners and their organisations to register for accreditation so as to operate without restrictions on election day. Accreditation, she explained, would grant journalists unfettered access to polling units and collation centres, enabling them to report accurately and hold the process accountable.

The REC further disclosed that security agencies have assured of their full cooperation to protect lives and properties during the election period. This is no small matter. Osun elections have historically been characterised by tension, and the presence of adequate security will determine whether voters feel safe enough to come out and cast their ballots.

But here is the philosophical reflection that must accompany this assurance: security is not just about police officers at polling booths. It is about the confidence of the ordinary Osun voter — the mother of three in Osogbo who fears violence, the elderly farmer in Ilesa who remembers past electoral bloodshed. Will they see the security presence and feel protected, or will they stay home in fear? The REC’s words must translate into visible action.

OOPA Chairman Speaks: Carry Media Along For Credible Election

Earlier, the Chairman of OOPA, Abioye Lawrence, who welcomed the Osun INEC REC to the state, urged her to carry media practitioners along and deliver a credible election on August 15. His message was simple but profound: the media is not the enemy of INEC. The media is the mirror through which the electoral process is reflected to the public. If the mirror is smeared, the reflection is distorted. INEC needs the media as much as the media needs INEC.

Mrs Babalola, in her response, maintained that the media is an advocate of peaceful coexistence and tolerance in the society. She noted that INEC will play its part in the dissemination of information to the public, but the media remains the amplifier. Without amplification, even the best electoral process remains invisible to the very people it is meant to serve.

INEC needs the media for voter education and dissemination of accurate information on electoral activities. This is particularly critical in an era of rampant misinformation and disinformation. Social media has become a battleground where false narratives can spread faster than the truth. Traditional and online media practitioners are the first line of defence against electoral falsehoods.

Consider the ordinary voter in Ede who receives a WhatsApp message claiming that voting has been extended to a second day or that a particular candidate has withdrawn. Without accurate media reporting, that voter may be deceived. His vote — his voice — is stolen not by a thug but by a lie.

Or think of the young first-time voter in Ile-Ife who does not know where her polling unit is located. INEC can print all the notices in the world, but if the media does not broadcast that information, she may never find her way to the ballot box. The media is the bridge between the Commission and the citizen. When that bridge is weak, democracy suffers.

It is not a child’s play, this business of conducting elections in Nigeria. The challenges are immense: logistical nightmares, security threats, voter apathy, and the ever-present spectre of manipulation. But Mrs Babalola’s assurances — and her warning about jail terms without fines — suggest that Osun may be different. The REC appears determined to leave a legacy of integrity.

The question now is whether the political actors will cooperate. Campaigns will heat up. Accusations will fly. Tensions will rise. INEC’s role is to remain above the fray, to be the unbiased umpire that calls balls and strikes without fear or favour. Mrs Babalola has said the right things. Now Osun is watching to see if she will do the right things.

August 15 is not far away. The media will be watching. Security agencies will be deployed. And the people of Osun — tired of elections that promise much and deliver little — will hold their breath. Will this be the election that sets a new standard for the South-West? The REC believes it will. And for now, that belief is the only light in the gathering storm.

📌 Fact Summary Box

Event: Courtesy visit by Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA) to INEC State Office, Osogbo.

Date: Monday.

INEC REC for Osun: Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola.

Election date: August 15 (Osun governorship election).

Key assurance 1: Election will be credible, free, inclusive, and transparent.

Key assurance 2: Full cooperation to media practitioners.

Key warning: Tampering with election results attracts jail term with no option of fine.

Security: Security agencies have assured full cooperation to protect lives and properties.

Accreditation: Media practitioners urged to register for accreditation to operate without restrictions on election day.

OOPA Chairman: Abioye Lawrence — urged REC to carry media along for credible election.

REC’s stance on media: “If there is no media, the society cannot be informed. The media is an advocate of peaceful coexistence and tolerance.”

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Akahi News will continue tracking the Osun governorship election and every development shaping the electoral landscape. Stay with us. Stay informed. And remember: a credible election begins with informed citizens — and informed citizens begin with a free and courageous press.