Osun Election: Can INEC Replicate Its IReV Success Nationwide in 2027?

The Osun governorship election has renewed attention on INEC’s readiness for the 2027 general elections. Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared winner after polling 511,067 votes, ahead of APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji’s 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas. I believe the scale of the APC campaign showed that the party was determined to win. The result instead highlighted the importance of voter vigilance, credible collation and a peaceful electoral environment. Inciting comments made during the campaign should also be investigated, as inflammatory rhetoric can endanger voters and undermine democracy. INEC’s prompt collation and extensive upload of polling-unit results to the IReV portal were among the key positives. Reports indicated that about 98% of polling-unit results were uploaded, allowing citizens and journalists to scrutinise the process more closely. Osun and Ekiti offer encouraging lessons, but 2027 will be a far greater test. INEC must improve the reliability of its technology, train officials, protect its neutrality and ensure that the transparency seen in these elections becomes a national standard.

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