The Osun off-cycle governorship election has witnessed significant challenges, with the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH) reporting 38 security incidents and 323 electoral offences as of noon on Saturday. This preliminary statement was issued shortly after voting commenced across the state, which is contested by 15 candidates.

The EU-SDGN EOH deployed 823 accredited observers to monitor the election across 726 polling units in all 30 local government areas. According to their report, 1,906,390 out of 2,339,233 registered voters had collected their Permanent Voter Cards, resulting in an impressive 81.50 percent eligibility rate.

Among the recorded security incidents, the Hub noted 25 cases of thuggery, 12 attacks on electoral officials, and 9 instances of voter intimidation by security personnel. The report also highlighted the nature of electoral offences, which included 103 cases of vote trading, 85 instances of ballot paper exposure, and 31 cases of voter obstruction. Other irregularities included 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 28 instances of inducement of polling and security officials, and 14 cases of voter impersonation.

The Hub emphasized that the 323 electoral offences do not correspond to individual polling units, as multiple offences were often recorded at the same location. Specific polling units, such as PU 29-10-10-005 in Ejigbo and PU 29-30-06-015 in Osogbo, were flagged for voter intimidation by security agents.

In terms of the accreditation process, 83.7 percent of the observed polling units had officials equipped with the necessary materials by the time voting began. However, some polling units faced delays, with 75 opening between 8:00 am and 8:30 am, and 42 opening between 8:30 am and 11:00 am. Notably, one polling unit remained closed due to the non-arrival of personnel and materials.

The malfunction of 58 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices was also reported, with 41 being fixed during the observation period, allowing accreditation to continue. Voter turnout was described as impressive, with women accounting for approximately 59 percent of the turnout in the observed polling units, and over 70 percent turnout among persons with disabilities at designated PWD-friendly locations.

The Hub's fact-checkers verified 11 false claims related to the election, including allegations of payments to INEC officials and underage voting, while other claims regarding shootings and disruptions remain under investigation. This preliminary account will be followed by a comprehensive Post-Election Report after the results are collated and declared.

In light of the events, the EU-SDGN EOH urged political parties and candidates to address grievances through lawful channels as stipulated in the Peace Accord signed on July 30, and called for calm as the electoral process moves towards its conclusion.