The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly investigate alleged vote-buying, violence and other electoral offences during the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The call came shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner of Saturday’s governorship election, securing his re-election for another term.
The demand followed reports of alleged vote-buying and other irregularities during the poll.
The State Returning Officer, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24 am on Sunday.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.
The incumbent won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji prevailed in 11. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third.
In a petition dated 15 August 2026 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation also urged the agencies to facilitate independent scrutiny of the election by regional and international bodies, including the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and relevant United Nations human-rights mechanisms.
SERAP said the agencies should trace the sources and movement of funds allegedly used for vote-buying and other unlawful electoral activities, while preserving banking and mobile-money records, telecommunications data, CCTV footage, polling-unit records and other relevant evidence.
It also called for the investigation, arrest and, where appropriate, prosecution of people reasonably suspected of electoral, corruption or other criminal offences, including those who financed or facilitated the alleged acts.
“The legitimacy and credibility of the Osun State election result ultimately depend upon whether voters were genuinely able to freely exercise their right to participation and political choice,” SERAP said.
The organisation cited preliminary reports from the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH), which said civil society observers recorded 323 electoral offences and irregularities across 726 polling units observed as of noon on election day.
According to the report, the incidents included 103 cases of vote trading, 28 cases of inducement of polling and security officials, 31 cases of voter obstruction, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 14 cases of voter impersonation and 12 cases of multiple voting.
Observers also recorded seven cases of election-official misconduct and 85 incidents involving the exposure of ballot papers, alongside 38 security incidents, including alleged thuggery, attacks on electoral officials and voter intimidation.
SERAP further cited the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, which reported alleged vote-buying and other inducements, including the distribution of jollof rice and drinks at a polling unit in Isokan Local Government Area.
The group said the Situation Room also reported the harassment of an election observer and alleged disruption by thugs.
SERAP urged INEC, EFCC and ICPC to investigate compliance with Sections 91–94 of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly campaign contributions, expenditure and sources of funds.
It also asked the agencies to publish their findings and take lawful action where credible evidence establishes that corruption, inducement, coercion or violence materially affected voters or the election outcome.
SERAP said regional and international scrutiny would provide “complementary independent scrutiny” and strengthen transparency and accountability.
“These measures are important not only for accountability for the Osun election but also for preventing recurrence, deterring electoral corruption and violence, strengthening public confidence in INEC and other institutions, and safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the 2027 general elections,” the organisation said.
