Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has come under scrutiny for failing to accredit journalists for the highly anticipated local government elections taking place today across the state.
The decision has sparked concerns over transparency, as media professionals from various outlets, particularly members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), have reported difficulties in obtaining the necessary accreditation required to cover the electoral process.
Earlier, OSIEC’s Information Officer, Sadiat Isiaka, had announced that only accredited media organizations and officially recognized observer teams bearing official tags and jackets issued by the Commission would be permitted access to polling units, wards, local government collation centers, and the Central Collation Centre.
She further warned, “Any unauthorized media or observer team without an authorization letter, official jackets, and tags from the Commission will be treated as an impostor.”
However, despite repeated attempts by journalists to obtain these accreditation materials, many were unable to do so. Reports from various media organizations indicate that even veteran reporters, including those from print and broadcast media, were denied accreditation, raising fears of limited press freedom during the elections.
Shina Abubakar, Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, confirmed the issue, stating that the Commission had failed to provide journalists with the necessary accreditation despite multiple follow-ups and requests.
“We made several efforts to ensure that journalists received the accreditation required to cover this election, but OSIEC did not grant these approvals,” Abubakar stated.
This situation has led to heightened concerns over electoral transparency, with many questioning the credibility of the process, as independent media oversight is considered a key factor in ensuring free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, amid the controversy, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, proceeded to cast his vote in the ongoing elections. Addressing journalists after voting at his designated polling unit, Adeleke praised the conduct of the election and urged residents to participate 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.
Despite the governor’s assurances, concerns remain over the lack of media access, with stakeholders calling on OSIEC to clarify why journalists were not properly accredited and to ensure better transparency in future elections.