“Blood, BVAS And Ballot Buying”: Adeleke Wins Own, Oyinlola’s Units, APC’s Bashiru Delivers Unit As Results Troop In

. ‘Vote And Collect N20k,’ Violence, Vote-Trading Mar Osun 2026 Poll, CSOs document 103 inducement cases

Governor Ademola Adeleke has won his polling unit in Ede in the Osun 2026 governorship election, while Senator Ajibola Basiru, APC National Secretary, also carried his own unit. But celebrations were short-lived as reports of violence, vote-trading and BVAS failures dominated the polls across the state.

Adeleke secured a clear victory in Oyilola’s Polling Unit, Ward 2, Ede North, consolidating his home base. In the same breath, Senator Ajibola Basiru delivered his Iwo polling unit for the APC, setting up what analysts say could be a tight contest between the PDP and APC across the state.

However, the credibility of the election came under immediate question after EU Election Observers reported 103 cases of vote-trading documented across multiple LGAs. In their preliminary statement, observers said party agents were seen openly offering cash and food items to voters in exchange for ballots.

Technology also failed in several areas. The EU team and local monitors flagged BVAS glitches that delayed accreditation for hours in Osogbo, Ife, and Ilesa. In some units, officials resorted to manual registers after the biometric devices failed to capture fingerprints.

The day turned bloody in Ejigbo LGA where violence erupted mid-afternoon. Eyewitnesses said suspected thugs stormed polling centers, snatching ballot boxes and chasing voters away.

INEC officials and voters fled the scene as gunshots rang out near Ward 5 and Ward 7. Several voting materials were destroyed, and accreditation was suspended indefinitely in the affected units. No official casualty figure had been released at press time.

The Osun Police Command said it had deployed additional operatives to Ejigbo and other “flashpoints” to restore order. A spokesperson urged residents to remain calm, adding that an investigation into the disruption had begun.

PDP and APC traded blame within hours. PDP officials accused the APC of orchestrating the Ejigbo attacks to suppress turnout in PDP strongholds. The APC countered that it was PDP agents who instigated chaos after seeing poor results in key units.

Civil society groups condemned both the violence and the vote-buying. Yiaga Africa said the 103 documented cases of inducement represented “a direct assault on the integrity of the ballot” and called on INEC to prosecute offenders.

As collation continues across Osun’s 30 LGAs, the 2026 election is shaping up as a test of Governor Adeleke’s incumbency versus the APC’s federal backing. But with BVAS failures, ballot buying, and bloodshed in Ejigbo, the biggest question now is not just who won — but whether Osun voters were allowed to decide freely.

NOP NIGERIA