HURIWA warns INEC, Police, EFCC against violence, manipulation in Osun governorship poll

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), political parties and their agents against turning Saturday’s Osun State governorship election into a platform for electoral violence, intimidation, vote-buying and institutional manipulation.

In a statement issued on Friday, August 14, 2026, HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, said the organisation would not tolerate any attempt to undermine the rights of Osun voters before, during or after the election.

The rights group demanded zero tolerance for armed thuggery, ballot snatching, vote-buying, voter intimidation, harassment of opposition supporters and other forms of electoral criminality.

HURIWA expressed particular concern over the conduct of security and law-enforcement agencies, urging the Police and EFCC to demonstrate that they are institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not instruments of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other political party.

The organisation warned against selective arrests, intimidation or harassment of opposition members and supporters while political actors aligned with the government are allowed to operate with impunity.

HURIWA said INEC must recognise the enormous responsibility before it, describing the Osun election as more than an ordinary off-cycle poll.

According to the organisation, the election represents a critical test of whether the commission’s current leadership is genuinely committed to conducting elections in which the votes of Nigerians count.

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It therefore called on INEC to demonstrate absolute independence, transparency, professionalism and impartiality throughout the electoral process.

The commission, HURIWA said, must ensure that every eligible voter is allowed to cast a ballot without fear or intimidation, while the collation and declaration of results must strictly comply with the law.

The rights group also demanded maximum transparency in the electronic transmission and publication of polling-unit results.

It said voters should be able to monitor the movement of results from polling units through the various stages of collation, warning that any opaque results-management process could fuel suspicion and undermine public confidence in the election.

‘Osun Must Not Become Testing Ground for Manipulation’

HURIWA also warned political actors against turning Osun State into a battlefield for political desperation.

The organisation said it would oppose any attempt to deploy armed thugs, state-sponsored intimidation, financial inducement or security agencies to subvert the will of the electorate.

“Political power must come from the ballot box and not from the barrel of a gun, bags of money or the manipulation of electoral institutions,” the group said.

It urged all political parties and candidates to commit themselves to peaceful and transparent elections, warning that the continued use of violence and other illegal tactics could weaken public confidence in democracy.

Osun Poll Will Test INEC Ahead of 2027

HURIWA described the Osun election as a major litmus test for INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The organisation said Nigerians were closely watching the commission’s chairman and national commissioners, adding that the manner in which the Osun poll is conducted would significantly influence public confidence in INEC’s preparedness and willingness to conduct credible presidential, governorship and legislative elections in 2027.

According to HURIWA, failure to guarantee transparency in an off-cycle election could lead Nigerians to question the commission’s capacity to conduct a credible nationwide election.

It therefore urged INEC to use the Osun election to demonstrate that Nigeria’s electoral democracy is progressing rather than regressing.

HURIWA listed its demands to include a transparent, credible, free and fair election; strict political neutrality by the Police and EFCC; protection of voters by security agencies; aggressive prosecution of vote-buying and financial inducement; and the arrest and prosecution of electoral offenders regardless of their political affiliation.

The group also demanded transparent transmission and accessibility of polling-unit results, peaceful conduct by political parties and an end to any attempt by candidates or parties to manipulate state institutions for electoral advantage.