By Salami Abdulrahaman | Abuja
ABUJA – The Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) has identified 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Osun State as high-risk areas ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, urging stakeholders to take urgent security and political measures to prevent electoral violence.
KDI made the disclosure during the public presentation of its Pre-Election Security Risk Assessment (ESRA) in Abuja, where it called for coordinated action to address emerging security threats and ensure a peaceful, credible and transparent election.
Speaking at the event, KDI Executive Director, Bukola Idowu, said the assessment identified several factors that could affect the conduct of the election, including the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), neutrality of security agencies and the possible impact of insecurity on voter turnout.
According to Idowu, the 12 identified LGAs require a combination of operational security measures and political engagement to prevent existing tensions from escalating before, during and after the election.
“INEC needs to tighten up because we are going into a competitive election where everybody is highly charged,” he said, while expressing concerns arising from the recent mock accreditation exercise.
Idowu also raised concerns over voter participation, noting that voter turnout in Osun State stood at about 43 per cent in the last election.
He warned that heightened insecurity and political tensions could further discourage eligible voters from exercising their civic rights.
The KDI Executive Director said the management of the Osun governorship election would also provide important lessons ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly regarding the margin of lead, electronic transmission of results and the resolution of electoral disputes.
Also speaking at the event, AIG Abutu Yaro (rtd.), National Security Consultant and KDI Election Data Room Faculty Member, said the security of elections was closely linked to the conduct of political actors.
Yaro urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to avoid provocative statements and actions capable of escalating tensions, stressing that security agencies alone could not guarantee a violence-free election without the cooperation and responsibility of political actors.
He further called on security personnel deployed for the election to maintain professionalism, neutrality and impartiality in the discharge of their duties.
The former senior police officer noted that many security challenges surrounding elections are often influenced, provoked, funded or sponsored by political actors seeking to achieve particular outcomes.
He therefore urged political stakeholders to respect the electoral process and refrain from actions that could undermine public confidence in the election.
KDI called for stronger coordination among INEC, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, the media and other relevant stakeholders to address the risks identified in the assessment.
The organisation said the ESRA should serve as an early-warning mechanism to enable stakeholders to identify potential flashpoints, deploy preventive measures and respond promptly to emerging threats.
Stakeholders at the event agreed that preventing electoral violence requires sustained engagement and early intervention before election day, rather than relying solely on security deployment on the day of the poll.
