The Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade, has called on election stakeholders in Osun State to work collectively towards ensuring a peaceful, credible and inclusive governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.
Arogundade made the call while delivering his welcome address at a stakeholders’ interface on the conduct of the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, organised by IPC in partnership with the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGN II) programme.
He said the gathering was convened to strengthen collaboration among election managers, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and other critical stakeholders in promoting a transparent electoral process.
Welcoming participants, Arogundade commended the presence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), traditional institutions, the media and civil society organisations, noting that their participation reflected a shared commitment to peaceful and credible elections.
He explained that under Component Four (Support to Media) of the EUSDGN II programme, IPC has been mandated to strengthen media professionalism, combat misinformation and disinformation, deepen civic and voter education, and promote the participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in the electoral process.
According to him, several activities have already been implemented ahead of the election, including the establishment of a network of election misinformation and disinformation journalists and fact-checkers in Osun State.
He disclosed that IPC also conducted a public opinion poll on priority issues for the governorship election, which revealed that citizens were most concerned about education, youth empowerment, rural development and agriculture.
“The opinion poll was part of our efforts to help set the media agenda for the Osun governorship election by ensuring that reporting focuses on issues that matter most to the people,” he said.
Arogundade added that IPC had trained INEC voter education and publicity officials, heads of departments and electoral officers on digital literacy, effective information management, crisis communication and fact-checking.
He noted that the organisation also supported the establishment of a six-member INEC fact-checking unit to proactively counter misinformation capable of undermining the credibility of the election.
The IPC Executive Director further revealed that the organisation recently organised a specialised training for 25 print and online journalists on issue-driven and impactful election reporting, with veteran journalist and media trainer Mr. Taiwo Obe serving as the lead resource person.
He described the stakeholders’ interface and subsequent breakout sessions for print, broadcast and online journalists as part of broader efforts to create an enabling environment for free, fair and credible elections.
According to him, IPC and other civil society organisations participating in the EUSDGN II programme will also undertake pre-election assessments of the electoral environment and organise citizen engagement activities before the poll.
Speaking on the significance of the election, Arogundade noted that the Osun governorship poll would be the second off-cycle governorship election conducted under the Electoral Act 2022 and the third major election under the leadership of the new INEC Chairman, Professor George Moghalu.
He said the election would serve as another important test of the reforms introduced by the Electoral Act, particularly the electronic transmission of polling unit results through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
He warned that increasing threats of political violence could undermine voter turnout, especially among women and persons with disabilities, while also discouraging ad hoc election officials from participating in the electoral process.
“The Osun election is highly significant because its credibility will influence public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he stated.
Arogundade also observed that Osun’s high literacy level and vibrant media environment present both opportunities and challenges for effective voter education, stressing the need for sustained collaboration among stakeholders.
“Our task today is to engage in dialogue, not monologue; to act as genuine stakeholders, not mere office holders. We must collectively affirm our commitment to the public interest, demonstrate our readiness for the election and be accountable for the commitments we make,” he said.
He urged all institutions involved in the electoral process, including INEC, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations, labour unions and political stakeholders, to remain transparent, open to constructive criticism and willing to make necessary adjustments before election day.
“No single tree makes a forest. Together, we can make Osun State a model of credible electoral conduct and produce an outcome that is acceptable to all,” Arogundade added.
He concluded by expressing appreciation to the European Union for supporting the initiative and reaffirmed IPC’s commitment to promoting credible elections and strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process through professional journalism and stakeholder collaboration.
