Sensitive election materials have arrived in Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, as the Independent National Electoral Commission disclosed that it will draw ad-hoc personnel from a pool of more than 30,000 members of the National Youth Service Corps.
The development comes as security agencies stepped up preparations for the poll, with no fewer than 25,310 personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deployed across the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, disclosed the planned deployment of NYSC members while giving an update on preparations for the August 15 election.
Oketola said he could not provide the exact number of ad-hoc personnel to be engaged, noting that the commission would draw from a pool of more than 30,000 NYSC members for the poll.
He said, “For number of ad-hoc staff, INEC will be pulling from a pool of over 30,000 NYSC members that we’re working with for the election,”.
He also disclosed that 2,339,233 voters were registered in Osun State, adding that data for permanent voter card collections was being updated following the extension of the exercise.
Oketola said, “Meanwhile, 2,339,233 voters are registered in Osun. So, I’m not sure, you know, we extended PVC collection. I don’t have the data of the number of PVC collected, you know, but for eligible voters, these are the people who are eligible to vote, 2,339,233,”.
On the distribution of materials, Oketola stated that sensitive and non-sensitive materials were already in the state, assuring that deployment to local government areas and Registration Area Centres will begin on Thursday.
Explaining the logistics arrangements, Oketola noted that the commission would not disclose the exact time sensitive materials arrived in Osun for security reasons, adding that they are currently warehoused at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He said, “Right now, sensitive materials are already in Osun. Nobody will tell you when materials arrived Osun. What is most important is that they have arrived. You see, logistics is complex,”.
He explained that sensitive materials, including ballot papers, would be moved from the CBN to local government offices on Friday.
Oketola said, “Well, that is the standard, by Thursday we start moving non-sensitive and I mean the remaining non-sensitive materials. The sensitive materials that are ballot papers and all of that will be moved on Friday from the CBN to the local government offices,”.
He added, “The police, security agents, electoral officers will be invited to the CBN where sensitive materials such as ballot papers and BVAs will be distributed and moved to the local government offices.”
Oketola stated, “So, by Friday, RAC centres will open, sensitive materials will move to the RACs and non-sensitive materials will also be moved, including ad hoc staff and security agents. This is including all the vehicles that will move them on election day.”
He noted, “This is to ensure that we are able to deploy men and materials on Election Day and then polling gap opens by 8.30am.”
Speaking on equipment deployment, Oketola said, “We are going to deploy generators in their numbers to Osun, They are going to deploy water tankers, I mean, water tanks and all sorts of materials, including sensitive materials. These things cannot get to Osun on the same day.”
Emphasizing security for the materials, he said, “The sensitive materials, which are very critical, are warehoused in the CBN. Nobody in any country can tell you that this was when they brought them there. Do you know why? Do you know the number of printers they used? Would they be able to deliver all on the same day?”
Oketola added, “This is logistics. And of course it is also about security. If we tell the public, I will tell you where and when they will be moved. Don’t you know they can be ambushed? So, what is most important is that those things are already in Osun.”
Ahead of the poll, no fewer than 25,310 security personnel have been deployed to Osun State. The deployment comprises 15,000 police officers, 10,210 NSCDC personnel, and about 100 EFCC officers across the state.
The security build-up comes as 14 political parties prepare to contest the August 15, 2026 governorship election. Prominent candidates in the race include incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, and Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress.
The NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Audi, ordered the deployment of 10,000 personnel from 10 neighbouring state commands, including Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta, and the Federal Capital Territory, with about 1,000 personnel drawn from each command.
Specialised units, including the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad, and K9 Unit, have also been deployed under the supervision of Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Operations, Ayuba Phillip.
Addressing personnel, Audi said, “As an agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting critical infrastructure and national assets, the safety and security of election materials and electoral officials are very critical alongside the electorates.”
He added, “You have the responsibility of ensuring unbiased synergy with other security agencies on election duty to actualise a free, fair and credible election.”
Audi noted, “Our personnel have been properly briefed on the need to be professional, neutral and respectful in the discharge of their duties.”
Warning against disruption, Audi said, “The NSCDC in collaboration with other security agencies on election duty will not tolerate any activity intended to jeopardise the election process; criminal-minded persons and political thugs willing to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election would face the wrath of the law as prescribed in the Electoral Act.”
In addition to police and civil defence deployments, about 100 EFCC personnel have been deployed to monitor and prevent vote buying during the election.
Meanwhile, armed military personnel have assumed security duties at the Osun State headquarters of INEC in Osogbo, supported by 3 Armoured Personnel Carriers stationed in the area.
The Osun INEC Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode, confirmed the readiness of the commission for the election.
Olurode said, “We are fully ready for the election on Saturday.”
He added, “Out of the 13 activities on the timeline of activities for the election, we have exhausted 12 and the last one is the day of the election. More so, the sensitive materials will be distributed on Thursday to various local governments,”.
Also reacting, the Inter-Party Advisory Council appealed for peace and credibility during the poll.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said, “We urge all political actors to lower the temperature of political rhetoric and refrain from statements, threats, actions or counter-actions capable of aggravating tension or threatening the peace and stability of the State.”
Dantalle condemned vote buying, violence, and the freezing of state accounts prior to the election, emphasizing, “Let us remember that democracy is not simply about who wins an election; it is about ensuring that the process through which the winner emerges is credible, transparent, legitimate and reflective of the will of the people,”.
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