The Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI), a civil society organisation focused on democratic governance, electoral integrity and citizen participation, has raised concerns over the conduct of the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders to address identified shortcomings.
While congratulating the people of Osun State for their peaceful participation, SOAI said the credibility of an election should not be judged solely by the eventual winner, but by the transparency, fairness and integrity of the process that produces the result.
In a statement signed by its Communications Officer, Wasila Usman, on Monday, the organisation warned that celebrating electoral outcomes while overlooking weaknesses in the process could gradually erode democratic accountability.
According to SOAI, its assessment of the election focused on six key areas, including violence, vote buying, INEC’s transparency, election logistics, the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and voter participation.
The organisation expressed concern over reported cases of intimidation, threats and inflammatory statements by political actors before and during the election, warning that such incidents could discourage citizens from exercising their right to vote.
It called on security and prosecutorial authorities to investigate reported cases of electoral violence and intimidation, stressing that failure to punish offenders could encourage electoral impunity.
SOAI also raised concerns over alleged vote buying and voter inducement at some polling locations, describing the practice as a major threat to voters’ freedom of choice.
The group urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate reported cases and ensure that electoral offences are prosecuted.
On technology, SOAI demanded clarification from INEC over the reported disruption in the uploading of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the election.
It said the reported interruption, which allegedly lasted for more than two hours, required a detailed public explanation, particularly given Nigerians’ experience with electronic results transmission challenges during the 2023 general elections.
SOAI wants INEC to explain the cause and duration of the disruption, clarify whether any results were affected and disclose measures being taken to prevent a recurrence ahead of the 2027 elections.
The organisation, however, acknowledged improvements in election-day logistics compared with previous off-cycle elections, particularly the 2022 Osun governorship election.
It noted that election materials reportedly arrived earlier and voting commenced on time in several polling units, but urged INEC to ensure consistent compliance with stipulated opening times across all polling units.
SOAI also expressed concern over reports of malfunctioning BVAS devices, delays in accreditation and inadequate backup arrangements in some polling units.
According to the organisation, technology introduced to improve electoral transparency must not become a barrier to citizens’ constitutional right to vote.
It therefore called on INEC to review its BVAS deployment strategy and strengthen contingency arrangements to minimise voter disenfranchisement during future elections.
The group also welcomed the reported increase in voter participation, describing it as an encouraging sign that Nigerians remain interested in determining their political leadership through democratic processes.
However, it warned that increased participation must be matched by stronger electoral integrity, accountability and public confidence.
SOAI said the Osun election presented both progress and important lessons for Nigeria’s electoral system, stressing that improvements in logistics and voter participation should not overshadow concerns surrounding violence, vote buying, technology and institutional transparency.
The organisation called on INEC to provide clear answers on the IReV disruption, security agencies to investigate and prosecute electoral offences, and political parties and their supporters to respect democratic principles.
It further urged civil society organisations and citizens to sustain demands for accountability beyond election day.
SOAI maintained that Nigeria cannot build a credible democracy on electoral outcomes alone, insisting that the true measure of a democratic election is whether citizens believe the process was fair, transparent and trustworthy.
“For SOAI, the process is the democracy. The outcome is only the consequence of that process,” the organisation said.
The release was signed by Wasilla Usman the Communications officer of Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI)