INEC deploys assistive devices for Osun poll as chairman warns against vote buying

Democracy cannot be considered complete if it leaves out persons with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman has said ahead of the Osun State governorship election.

Speaking to media executives in Osogbo on Saturday—15 days before the 15 August poll—INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said the commission has integrated dedicated assistive devices across polling units following a disability mapping exercise in the state.

“Democracy is incomplete if it excludes vulnerable populations,” Amupitan said. “The commission has integrated practical assistive devices across polling locations based on our disability mapping in Osun State.”

The voting aids being deployed across the state include:

• Visually Impaired: Braille ballot guides for blind voters.
• Low Vision & Albinism: Magnifying glasses at polling units.
• Hearing Impaired: Specialised EC40H poster manifests.
• Priority Access: Dedicated priority queues for pregnant women, nursing mothers, elderly citizens, and persons with disabilities.

Scale of deployment and security measures

INEC will deploy to 3,763 polling units across 320 wards in Osun State to serve 2.3 million registered voters, with 14 political parties on the ballot.

To manage large polling units in areas including Ife East, Irewole, Egbedore, Ede North, and Osogbo, the commission has increased its deployment of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines from 4,427 to 5,130, alongside 1,328 backup units.

Addressing the recent theft of voter cards in Odo-Otin and Ife Central, Amupitan reassured the public that stolen Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remain useless without the legitimate holder’s biometric verification on the BVAS. He added that affected voters would be issued reprinted cards or granted access via digitally downloadable PVCs.

The commission is also collaborating with security agencies and anti-corruption bodies—including the EFCC and ICPC—to deploy plainclothes officers around polling units to crack down on vote-buying.

“INEC is an independent, neutral, and dispassionate umpire,” Amupitan said. “We do not care who wins the election; we only care how they win.”