Jelili Gbadamosi
The Osun State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has raised concerns over the proposed use of uncustomised ballot papers and result sheets for the August 15 governorship election, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address the issue before the poll.
The council, comprising registered political parties in the state, said the use of electoral materials that do not meet the required specifications could undermine public confidence in the election.
Osun IPAC, in a statement signed by its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Odesola Oluseye Titus, said its position was linked to a July 22, 2026, court judgment involving the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which it said had implications for the preparation of election materials.
The council urged INEC to comply with the judgment and ensure that ballot papers and result sheets deployed for the election are fully customised in line with applicable electoral requirements.
Titus said the commission should not proceed with materials that could create doubts about the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.
“Customised ballot papers and result sheets are necessary to safeguard the credibility and transparency of the election. The commission should not proceed with materials that did not comply with the applicable electoral requirements,” he said.
He argued that INEC should have acted earlier on the court judgment and taken necessary steps to ensure that the materials complied with the required specifications.
The IPAC chairman warned that failure to resolve the issue before the election could raise questions about the conduct of the August 15 poll.
He also called for accountability and adherence to the rule of law and the Electoral Act 2026, as amended, saying every political party should be given a fair opportunity to participate in the electoral process.
Titus further alleged that Pauline Ugoyenka, whom he identified as the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ebonyi State, was in Osogbo despite allegedly not appearing on the list of RECs deployed to Osun State.
He urged the INEC Chairman to investigate the allegation and take appropriate action if she was found to have breached electoral regulations.
“We stand united in our stance; there is no room for compromise when it comes to the democratic rights of the people of Osun State,” Titus said.
The council called on INEC to take immediate corrective measures and ensure that fully customised ballot papers and result sheets are used for the election.
Meanwhile, the distribution of sensitive electoral materials earlier scheduled for Thursday was postponed following the inclusion of the Osun SDP governorship and deputy governorship candidates.
The Osun INEC spokesperson, Musa Olurode, confirmed that the distribution had been postponed but said a new date had yet to be announced.
IPAC said it would continue to monitor developments ahead of the election and advocate for what it described as a credible, transparent and fair electoral process.
