OSOGBO, Nigeria – European Union election observers have raised concerns over delayed voting, technical challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and gaps in election logistics during Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub deployed 823 accredited observers across all 30 local government areas to monitor the exercise.
According to its preliminary assessment, election officials had complete sensitive and non-sensitive materials in 726 of the 823 polling units observed.
The observers reported that voting was delayed in some polling units and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently deploy personnel and materials to locations where voting had not started by noon.
They also urged INEC to consider rescheduling voting in areas where the exercise could not commence within the required timeframe.
The EU observers identified BVAS-related technical problems as another major challenge, saying the glitches affected voter accreditation and caused delays at some polling units.
They further raised concerns about accessibility for elderly voters, pregnant women and persons with disabilities, urging authorities to ensure that vulnerable voters could participate safely and with dignity.
The observers called on security agencies to maintain a visible but restrained presence at polling and collation centres while paying particular attention to high-risk areas.
Political parties and candidates were also urged to avoid intimidation and vote buying, while the media was cautioned against announcing unofficial results before INEC makes an official declaration.
The EU-SDGN EOH said it would continue monitoring the counting, collation and transmission of results before releasing a comprehensive post-election report.
The group described the Osun governorship election as a critical test of Nigeria’s new electoral legal framework and an important indicator ahead of the 2027 general election.
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