More than 100 suspected “imported” voters have been arrested in Osun State after they were allegedly brought into the state ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The voters, who were reportedly carrying new Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, were allegedly camped at the residence of a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Abiola Ibrahim.
The development occurred as voters across the state went to the polls to elect a governor for the next four years, amid heightened security and concerns over possible attempts to manipulate the electoral process.
A video circulating on social media showed a large group of people being questioned by security operatives at the residence where they were allegedly staying.
In the video, Ibrahim was reportedly questioned by the security personnel over the presence of the people in his residence.
He was said to have explained that the group had been brought to the house to vote for the Accord Party in the election.
Reports by local media put the number of people arrested at 146, although the initial reports said more than 100.
The Nation reported that Ibrahim, an Accord Party member representing the Irewole-Isokan constituency in the state House of Assembly, was arrested alongside the suspected voters. ([The Nation][1])
The incident could not immediately be independently verified from an official statement by the police or the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the time of filing this report. Another report said viral videos had shown claims of arrests but that authorities had not yet officially confirmed all the details. ([TELL Magazine][2])
The alleged incident has nevertheless raised fresh concerns about the conduct of the Osun governorship election and the possibility of political parties moving supporters into areas where they are not ordinarily registered to vote.
The practice commonly described as “voter importation” refers to the alleged movement of voters from one area to another for the purpose of influencing election results. It has remained a major concern in Nigerian elections, particularly where political parties are accused of trying to gain an advantage through organised mobilisation of voters.
Under Nigeria’s electoral system, voters are expected to cast their ballots at the polling units where they are registered. The use of PVCs and the accreditation process are designed to help ensure that only eligible voters participate in the election.
The use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, has also been introduced by INEC to strengthen voter accreditation and reduce incidents of multiple voting and impersonation.
However, political parties and candidates have continued to raise concerns about electoral manipulation, including vote buying, intimidation, movement of supporters and other activities that could undermine the credibility of elections.
Saturday’s election is particularly important because of the political contest involving the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, and his major challengers, including the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate, Najeem Salaam.
The election has attracted considerable attention because of the political importance of Osun and the wider implications of the result ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The poll is also being watched closely following the disputed political atmosphere that has characterised the campaign period, with political parties and their supporters trading allegations over plans to influence the election.
The arrest of the alleged voters came against this background, with security agencies under pressure to ensure that the election is conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.
The security agencies deployed for the election are expected to prevent violence, intimidation and other activities capable of disrupting voting and the collation of results.
The presence of large numbers of people allegedly brought from outside the area could also raise questions about where they were registered and whether their PVCs were validly issued for the polling units where they intended to vote.
However, possession of a PVC alone does not establish that a person has committed an electoral offence. The circumstances of the voters’ registration, their polling units and their purpose for being at the location would need to be established by the relevant authorities.
Similarly, the allegation against Ibrahim would have to be properly investigated before any conclusion is reached about his involvement in an electoral offence.
The incident is likely to attract further attention as voting and collation continue across the state.
The Osun election is being conducted on August 15, 2026, with voters expected to elect the governor who will lead the state for the next four years. ([Wikipedia][3])
The election comes four years after the 2022 governorship poll in which Adeleke defeated the then incumbent, Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, in a closely fought contest.
The 2026 election has again produced a competitive political environment, with the major parties campaigning aggressively across the state.
As voters cast their ballots, political parties have been urging their supporters to remain peaceful and protect their votes.
The latest alleged arrest also highlights the need for security agencies and electoral officials to deal quickly with any activity capable of undermining the process.
For the election to be accepted as credible, observers and voters will expect INEC and the security agencies to ensure that only eligible voters participate, that voting takes place at designated polling units and that the results reflect the choices made by voters.
Further investigation is expected to determine the identities of those arrested, where they were registered and whether any electoral laws were breached.
The outcome of that investigation could also determine whether charges will be brought against any of those involved.
For now, the alleged arrest has added another layer to an already closely watched Osun governorship election, with attention focused on the ability of electoral and security authorities to protect the integrity of the vote.