Osun election: Observer group reports 17 violence incidents and 44 victims, raises concerns about BVAS performance and vote trading
Kimpact Development Initiative KDI, an election observer organization, reported 17 election-related violence incidents across 10 local government areas in Osun State during the August 15 governorship election, affecting over 44 victims. These incidents included gunshots, physical assaults, intimidation, and harassment, documented through KDI's Election Day Data Room. While the violence was localized and did not lead to widespread disruption, KDI noted that Ejigbo and Osogbo recorded the highest number of incidents. The organization also highlighted that between October 2025 and August 2026, 81 election-related violence incidents resulted in 15 fatalities across the state, and reported post-election violence in several areas. KDI urged security and law enforcement authorities to investigate incidents and prosecute those responsible, including 295 persons arrested for election-related offenses. Despite these issues, KDI commended security agencies for their professionalism, although 7% of reports indicated alleged interference by security personnel and some reports linked personnel to vote trading. Concerns were also raised about the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS, which had a 15.1% failure rate, and discrepancies in results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, including arithmetic inconsistencies and cases where accredited voters exceeded total votes cast. KDI identified vote trading and voter inducement, involving food, drinks, and cash payments ranging from N
