The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has failed to accredit journalists for the contentious local government elections holding today.
Earlier, OSIEC’s Information Officer, Sadiat Isiaka, stated that only accredited media organizations and observer teams bearing official tags and jackets provided by the Commission would be granted access to polling units, wards, local government areas, and the Central Collation Centre.
She warned, “Any unauthorised media or observer team without an authorisation letter, the official jackets, and tags of the Commission will be treated as an impostor.”
NUJ Members Denied Accreditation
However, journalists, particularly from print and broadcast media under the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), were unable to secure accreditation despite multiple efforts.
The Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Shina Abubakar, confirmed the development, informing members that OSIEC had failed to accredit journalists for the election.
The situation has raised concerns about transparency and access to information regarding the election process in Osun State.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has cast his vote in the ongoing local government election.
Speaking with journalists on Saturday morning after casting his vote at his polling unit, Governor Adeleke said the process was peaceful.
He enjoined the Osun people to come out and vote and go back to their homes peacefully.
“The process has been very peaceful. I made a broadcast to my good people of Osun State that this election should be peaceful. They should come out and cast their votes and go home peacefully. We should not give them any chance to say there is violence there or there,” he said.
