The Osun State House of Assembly has kicked over the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Mutiu Agboke, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2026 Osun State Governorship election.
Agboke, on an online platform, had announced to journalists that he had been transferred to Ondo State, appreciating the state media for their support throughout his stay in the state.
This is just as the legislatures expressed worry over an alleged plot to transfer other electoral officials, warning that such moves could undermine the integrity of the 2026 governorship election.
Reacting to the development, the Osun Assembly, through its Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, while addressing newsmen at the assembly complex on Thursday morning, vowed to resist any attempt at electoral fraud in the state.
They demanded free, fair, and credible elections in Osun State, calling for protection of democracy, defense of institutional integrity, and safeguarding the will of the people.
He said, “It has come to our notice that there has been a sudden redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State.
“We also have credible information that further deployments of interested people are being planned and may extend to other key officials, including the Administrative Secretary, Electoral Officers, Assistant Electoral Officers, and ICT personnel across the State.”
Egbedun Stated that they are concerned by a deliberate pattern of actions aimed at influencing the electoral process in Osun State, noting that “Ekiti State, which precedes Osun in the electoral calendar, has not witnessed such widespread deployments of electoral officials.”
He asserted that no amount of administrative changes or deployments of interested officials will override the will of the people of Osun State.
The Assembly also alleged that there were plans to compromise the electoral process in parts of the state, particularly within the Ife/Ijesa Senatorial District, through the use of APC members in sensitive electoral roles such as returning officers and supervisors.
He cautioned that whoever is deployed to conduct elections in Osun State must do so in strict accordance with the Constitution and the electoral law.
Packaged by Mayowa Owogbade
