The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has made a wild accusation and it is important that the party ensures the correctness of its findings before raising allegations or making assertions in future, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), submitted on Monday.
Resident Electoral Commissioner, Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke ,who was reacting to the allegations made by the ADC that the electoral umpire released ‘statistically implausible’ number of registrants during the first week of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise that started on August 18, 2025, has cautioned the party against raising a false alarm.
Recall that the ADC had in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi claimed that the number of people that got on the electoral register in Osun State within a week was more than those who had done this in four years.
The party had also alleged that 67 percent of those who have just gotten on the electoral register in the country are from the southwest while 393,269 had just been entered on the electoral roll in the State of the Living Spring.
In an interview with Team@orientactualmags.com on Monday, Dr Mutiu Agboke submitted that a fact-check of the assertions made by the ADC has shown that they are not only untrue but unfounded while emphasizing the need to ensure accuracy of information and findings before allowing it to enter public domain.
‘I am aware of insinuations in some quarters that perhaps there were certain manipulations or distortions on the part of the electoral umpire with respect to Osun State data. It is absolutely incorrect and unfounded. It is unfounded and you can fact-check it, since 2021, when INEC started pre-registration exercise, Osun State has always taken the lead. It can be fact-checked. It is on record’ he said.
Dr Mutiu Agboke also noted that the electoral umpire embarked on awareness-raising efforts in the state which helped to encourage people to participate in the Nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
‘So far, so good because we have always been proactive with a view to ensuring that a good number of the new eligible voters get on the electoral register. and with the level of our awareness-raising efforts, the massive publicity and engagements with the stakeholders, it was unprecedented, we were out there to engage all layers of the stakeholders and it resulted in a very positive development for us. I said positive development because usually, it was always the other way round for our people, our people will tarry for a long period, they won’t come out, they will wait until the eleventh hour before participating in the exercise but believe me sincerely, from day one, it has been a case of one crowd to the other and for me, I am happy’ he submitted.
The INEC REC also said the state having a good turnout may not necessarily have anything to do with the upcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
‘People should understand that ahead of any election, INEC must carry out continuous voter registration. As we speak, perhaps they are just concluding that of Anambra State because it is presume that, at the point of conducting the elections, so many other individuals would have become eligible and INEC will always give opportunity to people to participate in elections. So, it is not about the upcoming governorship election. Yes, governorship is upcoming coinciding with the 2027 general election, the commission will start the CVR in earnest. As it is now, it will run till next year and don’t forget that 2026 is the election year for Osun State, at a point in time, it will stop for Osun State whereas it will continue ahead of the 2027 general election in other states. So, this is the workings of INEC, and there is nothing so extraordinary about it. We embarked on awareness-raising efforts, we were everywhere, we were with our traditional rulers, we engaged the political parties, National Union of Road Transport Workers, market women, and the media helped us to spread it. So, for me, we are on course, and we are achieving success’ he said.
The high turnout definitely has concomitant challenges but the INEC REC said these are being tackled with ease because of the proactive measures already taken.
‘The only challenge we are having is that we are having a very large turnout of registrants but during the training programmes, the commission had envisaged this and our human capacity is sufficient enough to face those challenges. In the morning, there will be a very long queue, and we changed the pattern at the headquarters here. I know they also have their own methods or patterns at the respective local governments which is, of course allowed, what is important is that each local government should adopt a method that is peculiar to its environment so as to ensure that people participate and that is being done.
You see, one of the problems and challenges we are having is that people don’t know the difference between transfer, loss of PVC, defaced PVC and they will also go and wait in a line with those who are just fresh registrants. Whereas those three categories are things that can be done within 2-3 minutes and that settles it, so, we now have more hands of our staff who can easily help you transfer, seek for replacements, and things like that, even change of particulars, like change of name, transfer from one location to another, but with education, with various engagements, we are getting such challenges addressed and that of the problem of crowd, we are managing it’ he said.
Dr Mutiu Agboke also disclosed plans to stop party agents from having access to the registration centers.
‘What we are doing is registration of eligible voters. We do not know whether somebody is a member of a political party or not. Regardless of the party affiliations, it is not our business. That is why I do not want to see any party agents at the various centres. They have no business there. People are coming to register, whether they have affinity or affiliation with any party, it is their luck, but at the time of registration, we are particular about you and your personality. So, the issue of party affiliation, party that you belong is immaterial to us. I listened to a voice note where somebody said that it is a set of members of a particular party that are leading in the registration, I laughed it off because it doesn’t appeal to common sense, those things are unfounded and I don’t waste my time on that. We will register everybody, regardless of whoever the person is. We will ensure that there is no room for any kind of manipulation, yes, I won’t overlook it that there won’t be manipulation or misbehavior from our staff, but we are watching ourselves and we are monitoring things’ he added.
Dr Mutiu Agboke, who urged those who have just turned 18 to ensure that they get on the electoral register, assured that everyone will be attended to while also promising that complaints will be addressed without delay.
He also added that some people have failed to pick up their PVCs despite getting on the electoral roll.
‘My message is that people should all come out to register. No matter their numbers, INEC will register them. No matter the volume across the state, with our area office in Modakeke, everybody should come out. If there are issues, they should get across to me. My phone number is in the public domain, so, they can call me, or send message. This is the only way we can do it together, and let us ensure that as you are registering, you should also come for the PVC. We are asking people to come and collect their PVCs so that everybody can vote on the Election Day.
PVCs are available. Those who have registered before now have not collected it, their PVCs are here. In Osun State, we have over 300,000 PVCs uncollected. So, those who are registering now, their PVCs perhaps will come out first quarter next year because the first phase will end by December 10th and second phase will come up thereafter’ he said.
- Aladeowo Kaosara and Fatile Damilola ,who have just turned 18, told Team@orientactualmags.com that it is exciting to become qualified to vote in elections in the country while adding that they look forward to doing this for the first time in the upcoming guber election.
- Mrs. Olamide Adesewa Adeniyi, who sells shoes in Osogbo, also noted that although she is above 40, this is however the first time she would be taking required steps to get on the electoral register citing the awareness-raising efforts on the part of the electoral umpire-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
