Credible Elections Don’t Just Happen, MCE Tells Journalists Ahead of Aug 15 Guber Poll

By Joseph Sunday

The Movement for Credible Elections, MCE, has charged journalists and media veterans to ensure sincere and professional coverage of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The charge was given on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at a Press Conference and Interactive Session with Veterans in the Media Industry and Practising Journalists, held at the NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo.

The event was convened by the Osun Chapter of the MCE in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State Council, with the theme: “The Role of the Media in Ensuring Sincere and Professional Coverage for a Credible 2026 Osun Governorship Election.”

The Special Guest at the session was Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Philippines and grandfather of journalism in Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Yemi Farounbi.

Addressing journalists, the State Coordinator of MCE, Comrade Lanre Fadahunsi, said the media remains the conscience of society and a critical stakeholder in determining whether Osun gets it right on August 15.

Tracing the genesis of the movement, Fadahunsi said MCE is a national democratic intervention platform birthed by the National Consultative Front, NCFront, under Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, and later steered by Prof. Pat Utomi. He described it as a Third Force movement, not a political party, but a citizens’ platform for positive, capacity-driven leadership.

He also acknowledged veteran Comrade Olawale Okunniyi whom he described as the engine room of the interventions from NCFront to the Big Tent and now to The Patriots under Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

Fadahunsi said the intervention became necessary because of Nigeria’s history of flawed elections, citing reports by European Union Observer Missions in 2007 and 2019 which described Nigerian elections as lacking credibility. He warned that when elections are described as a “crime scene,” foreign investment flees and democratic legitimacy is eroded.

Citing historical lessons, he noted that nations that failed to conduct credible elections have paid heavily, with Somalia, Liberia, Kenya in 2007, Ivory Coast in 2010 and Bangladesh as examples. Conversely, Ghana, Botswana and South Africa in 1994 have reaped peace and stability through credible polls.

On Osun specifically, the MCE coordinator described governorship elections in the state as historically volatile, referencing the turbulent contests of 2014 and 2018 and the prolonged judicial battles that followed.

He identified three current flashpoints ahead of the August 15 election that require factual media scrutiny: hanging judicial issues and unresolved pre-election litigations; the unprecedented local government allocations impasse crippling grassroots governance; and vote-buying and the weaponization of poverty.

“What happens in Osun on August 15th, 2026, is not just about Osun. A credible off-cycle election in Osun sets the tone for the 2027 general elections,” he said.

Fadahunsi charged journalists to be factual, balanced and non-partisan, to avoid amplifying fake news or unverified results, to report vote-buying, intimidation and violence without fear, and to give voice to the ordinary voter.

He disclosed that MCE will open situation rooms, work with the NUJ, and document incidents before, during and after the election.

Earlier, the General Secretary of NUJ, Osun State Council, Comrade Taofikat Olasunbo Oladipo, welcomed veterans and practising journalists, noting that credible journalism is key to strengthening democracy.

In his closing remarks, the State Chairman of the NUJ, Osun State Council, Comrade Yemi Aboderin, advised journalists covering the election to avoid troubled spots on election day.

He said if any journalist finds an area not conducive for coverage, such journalist should leave the scene, noting that there would still be other opportunities to cover future elections.

He further emphasized that journalists must prioritize their personal safety above all else.