Osun Decides: Over 100 ‘Imported’ Voters Arrested With New PVCs

Osun Decides: Over 100 ‘Imported’ Voters Arrested With New PVCs

More than 100 suspected “imported” voters have reportedly been arrested by security operatives in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The suspected voters were allegedly found with newly issued Permanent Voter Cards and were reportedly camped at the residence of a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Abiola Ibrahim, who represents the Irewole-Isokan Constituency.

According to reports, the arrests took place amid heightened security and political tension across the state as voters headed to polling units to elect the next governor.

A video circulating on social media showed a large number of people being questioned by security personnel at the lawmaker’s residence.

During the interrogation, Ibrahim reportedly confirmed that the individuals had been staying at his residence, but said they were in Osun to vote for the Accord Party. He reportedly denied that the individuals had been promised any inducement in exchange for their votes.

The development has raised fresh concerns over alleged attempts to manipulate the electoral process through the movement of voters from outside the state.

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The identities, places of origin and eligibility of the arrested individuals, as well as the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the PVCs reportedly found in their possession, are yet to be fully established by the relevant authorities.

The allegation also comes against the backdrop of accusations and counter-accusations among political parties in the build-up to the election, with rival camps alleging intimidation, arrests and other forms of electoral malpractice.

The Accord Party has previously accused security agencies and other federal institutions of targeting its members and supporters, while also raising concerns about the conduct of the election.

However, the allegations surrounding the arrested voters have not, at the time of filing this report, been independently established as electoral offences by a competent authority.

The arrests are likely to attract further scrutiny from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties and election observers, particularly over whether the individuals were legally registered voters in the polling areas where they intended to vote.

As voting continues across Osun, stakeholders have urged security agencies to maintain neutrality and ensure that every eligible voter is allowed to exercise their franchise without intimidation, while preventing attempts to manipulate the process.

The incident adds to the growing concerns surrounding the credibility and security of the 2026 Osun governorship election, with stakeholders watching closely for further developments.

Osun Decides: Over 100 ‘Imported’ Voters Arrested With New PVCs