INEC Chairman

Author: Gist Correspondent

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun distributing sensitive electoral materials to the 30 local government areas of Osun State ahead of Saturday\'s governorship election.

The exercise commenced at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Osogbo, where election officials supervised the movement of ballot papers and other sensitive materials to their designated destinations across the state.

INEC National Commissioner overseeing the Osun election, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, said the distribution started after the arrival of newly printed ballot papers and result sheets from Abuja.

He explained that the materials were reprinted following the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Francis Ajala, on the ballot in compliance with a Federal High Court judgment.

According to Ajayi, the commission moved swiftly to ensure all election materials reached the local government areas ahead of the governorship poll.

INEC had on Wednesday announced the inclusion of Ajala and his running mate, Faseke Oladipo, bringing the number of political parties participating in the election from 14 to 15.

The electoral body said the decision followed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, delivered on July 22, 2026, in a suit filed by the SDP and its candidate against the commission.

The court directed INEC to recognise, process, upload and publish the names and particulars of the SDP candidate for the election.

Consequently, the commission reproduced the ballot papers and result sheets to accommodate the SDP, ensuring that all election materials complied with the court\'s directive before distribution.

INEC expressed confidence that the logistics arrangements would enable a smooth and timely conduct of Saturday\'s governorship election across Osun State.