INEC Secures Conviction of Nine Over Vote Buying in Osun

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has secured the conviction of nine persons arrested for alleged vote buying in the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, disclosed this on Monday while featuring on a radio programme in Osogbo.

Agboke said the convictions were part of the commission’s efforts to sanitise the electoral process and ensure a free, fair and credible governorship election later this year.

According to him, INEC is working round the clock to strengthen public confidence in the electoral system but stressed that the success of the process depends largely on the cooperation of stakeholders, particularly political parties and the media.

He urged political parties participating in the Osun governorship election to strictly adhere to INEC’s rules and guidelines, warning against actions capable of disrupting the electoral process.

On the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, the REC revealed that INEC has upgraded its registration machines to effectively prevent double or multiple registrations.

He added that anyone found attempting to register more than once would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Agboke also called on media practitioners to assist the commission in curbing misinformation, advising journalists to always verify facts from INEC before publishing election-related reports.

He disclosed that all media professionals in the state have been included in a WhatsApp platform created by the Osun INEC spokesperson, Mr. Musa Olurode, to ensure timely access to verified information on the commission’s activities.

However, the REC warned that INEC would not hesitate to take legal action against any journalist or media organisation that publishes defamatory or false reports about the commission without proper verification.