Osun election: Electoral commission starts handing out crucial voting supplies

The Independent National Electoral Commission initiated the distribution of sensitive materials to Osun's 30 local government areas on Thursday night, ahead of the governorship election scheduled for Saturday.

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The distribution process was overseen by the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, and was carried out in collaboration with the News Agency of Nigeria.

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Initially, the distribution was delayed due to a Federal High Court judgment that instructed INEC to include the Social Democratic Party on the ballot, resulting in the SDP being added to the list of 14 political parties for which ballot papers had already been printed.

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By 11:30 p.m., buses assigned to the exercise were departing from the Central Bank of Nigeria premises in Osogbo, headed for their designated local government areas.

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Mr Umar Mohammed, Senior Programme Manager at the non-governmental organisation Kimpat Development Initiative, viewed the distribution and arrival of the materials as a positive development, stating that it was encouraging to see the materials arrive on time.

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Mohammed expressed his optimism, saying "It is a very good thing that the materials arrived today, and hopefully, by the time INEC finishes sorting, they will distribute them to all the local governments," in a statement to journalists.

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Prior to the distribution, there were concerns that the court ruling could potentially disrupt the election timetable, according to Mohammed, who noted that INEC had to print additional ballot papers and result sheets following the court order.

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Mohammed explained that the court pronouncement, which led to the addition of the SDP to the ballot, created a logistical challenge for INEC, causing worries that it could affect the election and potentially lead to a postponement.

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He commended INEC's strategy for deploying the materials, observing that the commission seemed to be prioritising local governments that were distant and difficult to access.

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However, Mohammed expressed concern that rainfall could potentially hinder the distribution of election materials, saying "I pray it does not rain because the dark clouds are already gathering, and rainfall could make the distribution of election materials difficult."