INEC Bows To Pressure From Traditional Religion Worshipers, Announces New Date For 2026 Osun Guber Election  

The nation’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has bowed to pressure from the traditional religion worshippers and announced a new date for the upcoming 2026 Osun State guber election.

Recall that members of the Traditional Religion Worshippers Association in the State of the Living Spring had urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to go ahead with the gubernatorial election on August 8, 2026, as planned but rather choose and announce a new date that will not hinder their activities.

Citing the upcoming 2026 Osun Osogbo Festival which will hold on August 7, 2026, the association had made the request through the letter sent to the head of the electoral body, Professor Joash Amupitan which was signed by its president, Dr. Oluseyi Atanda and dated January 20, 2026.

‘We are aware that the Osun State gubernatorial election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 8, 2026. However, as a religious body, we shall be asking for the shifting of the said date. We want to bring it to your notice that the Osun Osogbo Festival shall be coming up that same week.

Osun Osogbo Festival is a sacred connection to Osogbo and has become a World Tourism Festival. The Osun Osogbo Festival is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the festival has been on for over 20 years drawing large crowds all over the world.

The Osun Osogbo Festival is currently the largest crowd-pulling Festival in Nigeria. We want to bring it to your notice that the dates for the festival for this year have been fixed between the 27th of July, 2026 and 7th of August, 2026.

The said dates had been prefixed and calculated traditionally in harmony with some other festivals and spiritual rites. By custom, the Friday 7th of August 2026 is the grand finale for the festival and the festival activities on that Friday, 7th of August 2026, will not end until about 6:00pm after the Arugba retires back to the palace. Many adherents and tourists from within and outside Nigeria would have been in town especially on the 7th of August 2026, for the Osun Osogbo Festival’ Dr. Oluseyi Atanda had submitted.

INEC apparently considered the reasonability of their line of argument and disclosed on Thursday that the gubernatorial election in question will now hold on Saturday, August 15, 2026.

The electoral body has also revised the timetable for the 2027 General Election and says the presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold in January 2027 while the governorship and state legislative elections will be held in February 2027.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that this was disclosed in a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

Recall that INEC had earlier announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 20, 2027, while the governorship and state legislative elections will be held on March 6, 2027.

‘Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities, the electoral body has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework’ the statement said.

 INEC noted that the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State legislative elections will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will also according to the electoral body commence on April 23, 2026 and end on May 30, 2026.

‘Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will commence on 19th August 2026, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will commence on 9th September 2026.

As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law’ the statement added.

INEC also added that the revised timetable has been published on its official website and other communication platforms.

 ‘In addition, the Osun State Governorship Election, earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday, 8th August 2026, has been rescheduled to Saturday, 15th August 2026’ the statement noted

The electoral body urged stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring peaceful, credible and inclusive elections that will reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.

‘The successful conduct of the forthcoming elections remains a collective responsibility’ INEC submitted.

In separate statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com on Thursday, Mr Musa Olorode, who is the spokesman for INEC in Osun State, confirmed that  governorship election will now hold in the state on August 15, 2026,  while restating the commitment of the electoral body to conducting  a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and transparent election.

“Sequel to the official release by the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abuja, the Commission hereby notifies the general public, political parties, stakeholders, and the good people of Osun State that the Osun State Governorship Election earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday, 8th August 2026, has been rescheduled to Saturday, 15th August 2026.

The Commission notes that some activities in respect of the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election have already been successfully conducted in line with the approved Timetable and Schedule of Activities. However, the remaining activities will now be implemented strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The revised date is consistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act, 2026.

The Commission reassures all stakeholders that the rescheduling does not in any way compromise its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and transparent election.

The successful conduct of the forthcoming election remains a collective responsibility.

The Commission in Osun State under the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mutiu Agboke’s leadership, calls on political parties, candidates, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations, and the electorate to continue to cooperate with the electoral body in ensuring peaceful elections that truly reflect the sovereign will of the people of Osun State.

Further updates will be communicated in due course’ the statement added- 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