The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday night commenced the distribution of reprinted ballot papers and result sheets to agents of political parties in the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The exercise took place at the Commission’s state office in Osogbo, following INEC’s compliance with a Federal High Court judgment directing the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate, Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, in the race.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on July 22, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, ordered INEC to recognize and publish Ajala’s candidature for the August 16 governorship election. INEC complied on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, and subsequently reprinted the ballot papers and result sheets to reflect the inclusion.
The reprinted materials were moved to the Osun INEC office in Osogbo where party agents gathered on Thursday night to witness the distribution.
Speaking to journalists at the venue, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, said the process began with party agents signing the result sheets before the materials were handed over to representatives of the 30 LGAs.
Babalola noted that the materials had been customized to reflect the names of specific polling units to aid identification and accountability during the election.
“Everything is going to be customized. Believe it. All the results already have the name of the polling units on them,” she said.
According to her, the signing by party agents was a critical part of the documentation process to ensure proper tracking of materials allocated to each area.
The REC clarified that the Thursday exercise was not direct distribution to polling units, but rather the handover of reprinted ballot papers and result sheets to party agents for onward delivery to the respective LGAs.
Party agents from all participating parties were present to witness the process.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2026.
