The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what it described as the relatively seamless conduct of the 15 August 2026 Osun State Governorship Election, particularly the absence of major technical glitches in most locations and the real-time uploading of polling-unit results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). TMG also called on the judiciary to protect genuine mandates freely given by the people and ensure that judicial processes are not used to truncate the legitimate choice of voters. While recognising the constitutional responsibility of the courts to adjudicate electoral disputes, the group urged the judiciary to ensure that electoral litigation strengthens, rather than undermines, the sanctity of the ballot and does not become an avenue for overturning the genuine will of the electorate through technicalities, procedural manipulation or politically motivated litigation. The group also commended the people of Osun State for their resilience, peaceful participation and determination to exercise their democratic rights despite reported incidents of vote buying, intimidation, harassment and other attempts to suppress voters. In a statement signed by the Chairman of TMG and Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the group said the Osun election provides an opportunity for Nigerians to recognise improvements in the country’s electoral process while continuing to demand greater transparency, accountability and professionalism from INEC. TMG said the relatively smooth conduct of the election and the timely electronic transmission of results demonstrated that INEC, under the leadership of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, can provide a more transparent and credible electoral process when its systems and procedures function as intended. The group stressed that INEC should not automatically be blamed for every electoral malpractice, particularly where such violations are perpetrated by political actors and their supporters. “INEC deserves commendation where it gets things right. The Osun experience demonstrates that the Commission is capable of conducting a transparent electoral process, particularly through the effective deployment of technology and real-time results transmission. At the same time, Nigerians must continue to demand improvements and hold the Commission accountable where it falls short,” TMG said. The group noted that vote buying, voter intimidation, thuggery and other forms of electoral manipulation remain largely driven by politicians and their agents, stressing that political actors who engage in such practices must be held accountable rather than shifting responsibility entirely to the electoral commission. TMG said the Osun election, like the recent governorship elections in Anambra, Ondo, Edo and Ekiti States, also provides encouraging evidence that elections can be conducted peacefully and that democracy can prevail where electoral processes are credible and the will of voters is respected. The group said the absence of significant post-election violence in these states should strengthen public confidence in democratic processes and encourage political actors to accept electoral outcomes and pursue legitimate grievances through established legal channels. TMG particularly commended Osun voters for their resilience and determination to ensure that their votes count, despite reported attempts in some locations to influence or suppress their choices through money, intimidation and other unlawful practices. The group said the experience should serve as a warning to politicians who believe that money, thuggery, intimidation or voter suppression can permanently defeat the will of the people. TMG urged all candidates and political parties who participated in the Osun election to demonstrate political maturity by accepting the outcome and respecting the mandate expressed by voters, while urging those with legitimate grievances to seek redress through the appropriate legal and electoral mechanisms. The group also called on political parties to begin a fundamental shift away from electoral politics driven by violence, vote buying, religious and ethnic mobilisation and empty political slogans. Parties, it said, must increasingly compete on the basis of character, competence, credible programmes, track records and the ability to address the real challenges confronting Nigerians. Looking ahead to the 2027 General Elections, TMG urged Nigerians to take greater responsibility for the quality of leadership they elect by obtaining and safeguarding their Permanent Voter Cards, ensuring that they are accredited promptly at polling units and turning out to vote without selling their votes. The group cautioned voters against choosing candidates simply on the basis of religion, eth
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