By Peter Omopo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced March 11, 2026, as the official commencement date for political campaigns ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
The disclosure was made on Monday by the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo. The meeting was convened to mark the beginning of the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the state.
According to Agboke, INEC will formally notify political parties and other stakeholders of the campaign timeline in line with the Electoral Act and the Commission’s guidelines. He noted that further engagements would be held to adequately brief political actors on the expectations and rules governing campaign activities.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission would issue clear protocols to guide political parties throughout the campaign period, stressing that relevant sections of the Electoral Act provide sufficient direction on acceptable conduct.
Agboke also underscored the importance of cooperation among stakeholders in ensuring credible elections in Osun State. Reflecting on the first phase of the CVR exercise, he said its success was largely due to early collaboration between INEC and key stakeholders to identify and address potential challenges.
He expressed confidence that the second phase of the CVR would build on previous gains, adding that similar levels of engagement and coordination would be maintained to ensure a smooth process.
As part of efforts to improve voter access, the Resident Electoral Commissioner announced plans to rotate voter registration equipment across communities. He explained that INEC would deploy registration machines to various localities to enable more eligible residents to participate in the exercise.
Agboke said stakeholders at the meeting expressed their readiness to cooperate with the Commission, assuring their support to ensure the success of the voter registration exercise and the overall electoral process.
