Osun guber poll: INEC, technology renew Nigerians’ hope in electoral process

The just-concluded governorship election in Osun State has once again placed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its deployment of technology at the centre of public attention.

For years, Nigeria’s elections have been characterised by concerns over electoral malpractice, ballot box snatching, result manipulation, voter intimidation, and disputes over the credibility of outcomes.

The introduction and gradual expansion of technology into the electoral process have provided new mechanisms to strengthen voter accreditation, result management, and electoral transparency.

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) remained one of the major technological tools deployed by INEC in the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.

The system was designed to authenticate voters through biometric verification, thereby reducing the possibility of multiple voting and impersonation. Its deployment has increasingly become a critical component of the conversation surrounding the credibility of Nigerian elections.

The Osun election also demonstrated why public confidence in electoral technology remains vital. When voters believe that their accreditation and votes are properly captured and protected, trust in the entire electoral process is reinforced.

As Nigeria continues to digitise its elections, INEC must ensure that technological systems remain simple, reliable, and accessible to all voters particularly elderly citizens, persons with disabilities, and individuals living in communities with poor infrastructure.

The Osun election should therefore serve as both an achievement to build upon and an opportunity to identify areas requiring improvement.

The commission must continue to invest in reliable technology, personnel training, voter education, and rapid-response mechanisms for technical challenges.

The renewed confidence generated by technological reforms must not be taken for granted. Nigerians expect every election to be better than the last.

They want a system where their votes count, results are transparent, and electoral disputes can be resolved through credible institutions rather than confrontation.

The 2026 Osun governorship election has provided another important chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

The task before INEC now is to consolidate these gains, address the weaknesses exposed by the poll, and continue improving the country’s electoral architecture.

For Nigerians, the ultimate expectation remains simple: an electoral system where technology serves democracy, institutions protect the vote, and the people’s choice is respected.

The August 15 governorship election in Osun State should serve as a model for next year’s general elections across Nigeria.