INEC engages top security leadership as Police tighten security ahead of Osun election

Following reports of election-related violence and security threats in parts of Osun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the commission will engage the highest levels of national security leadership to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible governorship election on August 15.

Prof. Joash Amupitan, INEC Chairman, disclosed this on Wednesday at the Osun State Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum in Osogbo, where he said the commission had also commenced engagements with traditional rulers as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions before the poll.

“We are engaging the highest levels of national security leadership to provide a neutral, professional, and impenetrable security blanket for our voters in Osun State. We are also engaging in local community mediation to de-escalate tensions before they reach the polls. Only yesterday, we were at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife, where we met with a wide spectrum of our Royal Fathers across the state, and this issue was central to our engagement with them. We will also be at the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo to continue this engagement,” he stated.

The INEC chairman said the commission had integrated the Electoral Risk Management framework into its election planning, working with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and other stakeholders to identify emerging threats, map localised risk corridors and implement mitigation measures in vulnerable locations across the state.

He identified parts of Atakumosa East…