The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned Supervisory Presiding Officers, SPOs, and transport unions against partisanship.

It directed them to ensure the timely deployment of personnel and election materials across the state.

The warning is coming ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, issued the directives on Friday during separate engagements in Osogbo as part of his readiness assessment tour ahead of the off-cycle governorship election.

Addressing leaders of transport unions at the INEC State Office, Amupitan said the Commission expected complete neutrality from all transport providers engaged for the election, stressing that vehicles contracted for the exercise would operate strictly under INEC’s supervision.

He said the commission had entrusted the unions with election logistics because of their operational capacity, but warned that any display of political allegiance by drivers or transport operators would not be tolerated during the electoral process.

“The moment we engage you for the purpose of this election, we are supposed to own your fleet, and therefore use it in accordance with our regulations.

“We are not supposed to take sides with anyone,” Amupitan said.

The INEC Chairman also emphasised the importance of punctual logistics, directing that vehicles should be available before Registration Area Centres, RACs, become operational at noon on the eve of the election. 

He added that election personnel and materials must arrive at polling units by 7.30 a.m. to enable voting to commence at 8.30 a.m. as scheduled.

According to him, the Commission has introduced a real-time monitoring dashboard to track the opening of polling units nationwide, noting that delays caused by vehicle breakdowns or driver unavailability would not be accepted. 

He added that Osun’s 30 local government areas, 322 registration areas and 3,763 polling units would require efficient logistics, particularly in difficult terrains.

The INEC Chairman while addressing Supervisory Presiding Officers undergoing training at Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, warned them against compromising the integrity of the electoral process by yielding to pressure from politicians.

He instructed the officers to comply strictly with the Commission’s operational manuals, insisting that election materials must not be delayed, diverted or released in instalments during the exercise.

“No delay of materials on your part, no diversion of materials, and please don’t allow politicians to use you,” Amupitan told the trainees, describing the Osun governorship poll as the final off-cycle election before the 2027 general elections and one that would attract nationwide attention.

Responding on behalf of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, the union’s Head of Organisation, Olayioye Adesina, assured INEC that adequate measures had been put in place to guarantee smooth logistics throughout the election despite the union’s internal leadership disputes.

Adesina said the National Executive of the union had assumed responsibility for coordinating the Osun assignment to avoid allegations of factional influence. 

He added that only roadworthy, unbranded vehicles would be deployed, while drivers and coordinators had undergone sensitisation on INEC’s operational guidelines in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps.

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