#OsunDecides2026: Former Electoral Officer Shares 15 Lessons, Warns Voters Against Election-Day Risks

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Ajayi Folaranmi Richardson during his time serving as an electoral officer at a polling booth in Lagos

By Victor Olubiye

As voters in Osun State prepare to elect their next governor on Saturday, a former electoral officer, Ajayi Folaranmi Richardson, has shared 15 observations from his experience at a polling booth in Lagos, highlighting what he described as the realities that can shape election-day activities.

Richardson, a journalist, educator and political analyst, reflected on issues ranging from voter turnout and the activities of party agents to intimidation, electoral violence, collation and the importance of participating in the voting process.

His account comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) distributes sensitive electoral materials to the 30 local government areas of Osun ahead of the governorship election.

The distribution is taking place at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Osogbo, the state capital.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of the Osun election, Professor Kunle Ajayi, said the distribution was delayed by the late arrival of newly printed ballot papers and other materials from Abuja following the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot.

Ajayi said the commission had commenced distribution to ensure the materials reached their designated locations ahead of the poll.

INEC lists August 15, 2026, as the date for the Osun governorship election.

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Richardson's 15 observations

Recalling his experience as an electoral officer, Richardson said voters who were determined to vote according to their conscience often arrived early at polling units, which he attributed to a desire to avoid confrontation or intimidation.

“Those who vote their conscience do so very early to avoid any form of confrontation or intimidation,” he observed.

He said party agents were often among the first people to arrive at polling booths, where they canvassed, educated and mobilised voters. He also noted that some agents were paid for participating in the process.

Richardson observed that voter turnout was usually higher around midday and towards the end of the voting period.

He also raised concerns about the presence of political thugs around polling locations, saying their activities could frighten voters and discourage those perceived to support opposing political interests.

Another allegation in his account concerned situations where voter turnout was low.

Richardson alleged that some party agents could mobilise unregistered voters to use the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of registered voters who did not turn up to vote. He, however, acknowledged that he did not know how such PVCs would allegedly be obtained.

He further said electoral officials could face pressure from party agents to follow instructions, adding that officials who refused to cooperate could face intimidation.

According to Richardson, political parties generally know their areas of strength and seek to maximise their support in such locations.

He also expressed concern about the collation stage of elections, particularly at local collation centres.

“Magic happens at the local collation centres,” he wrote, explaining that by “magic” he meant that “anything can happen” and that, in his view, it was possible for the outcome to change at that stage.

The claims concerning PVC use, intimidation, manipulation and collation are Richardson's personal observations and allegations based on his stated experience. They are not, from the material provided, independently established facts about the Osun election or Nigerian elections generally.


'When you don't vote, you make manipulation easier'

For Richardson, voter participation is an important part of protecting the integrity of elections.

“I agree that voting counts, but when you don't exercise your civic duties, you simply give room for manipulation and electoral malpractice. You have made it easy by not voting,” he said.

He also linked electoral violence to attempts by political thugs to disrupt voting in areas where they believe their side is losing or where an opposing political party has a stronger presence.

Reflecting on his personal experience, Richardson said he was not fully paid after working throughout the election day.

He also observed that older people appeared to participate more actively in the electoral process.

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His warning to party agents and observers

Richardson raised another concern about the monitoring of results, alleging that electoral officials and the electoral body could manipulate official results when party agents and observers failed to follow the process carefully.

That claim was not accompanied by specific evidence in the material provided and therefore remains Richardson's allegation.

He also wrote about situations in which people may compromise their principles under pressure, using the expression “ENGLISH”.

“When you see ENGLISH, you will compromise whatever moral conscience you have. You may decide to live to fight another day,” he said.


'Social media noise doesn't win elections'

Richardson's final observation focused on the difference between online political activity and actual grassroots support.

“Social media noise doesn't win elections. Elections are won offline at the grassroots level,” he wrote.

He argued that visibility on social media should not be mistaken for actual electoral strength at polling units.

As Osun voters prepare to cast their ballots, Richardson urged them to prioritise their safety.

“Ahead of #OsunDecides, I wish to tell my brothers and sisters at home that your utmost safety should be prioritised. May your votes count.”


The former electoral officer's account offers a personal perspective on election-day experiences, rather than a comprehensive assessment of the electoral process. Its observations and allegations therefore require appropriate verification before being treated as evidence of malpractice in any particular election.

For Saturday's poll, the focus now shifts to the conduct of voters, political parties, electoral officials, security personnel, observers and other stakeholders as the state heads into another governorship election.

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