Opposition Coalition Praises INEC After Osun State Election

A coalition of opposition political parties, civil society organizations, and ethnic youth groups passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the August 15 Osun State governorship election. Led by the Action Peoples Party and the African Centre for Justice and Human Rights, the coalition visited INEC headquarters in Abuja to commend the election's transparency and the provision of a level playing field.

Delegation leaders, including Obed Agu, praised INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan for his institutional independence and adherence to electoral timelines. The group highlighted a voter turnout of over 40 percent and the use of real-time results uploading as factors that restored public confidence in the electoral process. The coalition described President Tinubu and Professor Amupitan as new democratic heroes and urged the commission to use the Osun poll as a national benchmark for the 2027 general elections.

National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna received the delegation and reaffirmed the commission's commitment to conducting free, fair, and credible elections. He pledged that INEC would build upon the standards set in Osun to improve the 2027 polls. While the coalition praised the professionalism of security agencies and congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his victory, they called for a comprehensive post-election review to address remaining shortcomings in logistics and technology.