SERAP Calls for Probe into Alleged Vote-Buying in Osun

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate alleged vote-buying and other electoral misconduct during the 2026 Osun state governorship election. In a petition dated August 15, 2026, signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization called for independent scrutiny by the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, and relevant UN human-rights mechanisms.

SERAP requested that the agencies trace funds used for vote-buying and examine various records, including banking and mobile-money data. Preliminary reports from the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub indicated 323 electoral offences across 726 polling units, including 103 cases of vote trading and 38 security incidents.

SERAP cited specific instances of vote-buying, including the distribution of Jollof rice in Isokan Local Government Area. The organization emphasized the need for transparency to maintain the legitimacy of the election results and to deter future electoral corruption.