Osun Decides: Stakeholders to Hold Citizens’ Town Hall to Promote Credible Poll

By Omidiran Seun 

The Civil Society Network on Election Integrity will on Sunday, July 26, convene a Citizens’ Town Hall on the Osun off-cycle governorship election as part of efforts to promote a credible poll.

This was contained in a press release signed by the Communications Officer of the International Press Centre, IPC, Olutoyin Ayoade, and made available to newsmen in Lagos on Friday.

According to the statement, the town hall comes as the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election enters its final 21 days.

The Network comprises the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, ElectHER, TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre, Centre for Media and Society, CEMESO, and YIAGA Africa.

Ayoade said the town hall is a non-partisan platform designed to foster dialogue between citizens and key electoral institutions, with the aim of strengthening public confidence and reinforcing electoral integrity.

The event, scheduled for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Adolak Event Hall, Osogbo, will bring together election management officials, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, youth and women groups, organisations of persons with disabilities, PWDs, media practitioners and citizens from across the state.

She said participation will be strictly by invitation for physical attendees, while proceedings will be broadcast live on ARISE Television, NTA, AIT and the Osun State Broadcasting Service, OSBC, with livestreaming on the official YouTube channels of the broadcasters and additional coverage by radio, newspapers and digital media platforms.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Mrs. Olutoyin Babalola, and the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, will lead discussions on election preparedness and security. They will be joined by representatives of women and persons with disabilities, while representatives of the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers and faith-based organisations will deliver goodwill messages.

Citizens participating both physically and virtually will have the opportunity to engage directly with stakeholders, interrogate issues around preparations for the election and make recommendations to ensure transparency and credibility.

Chairman of the Planning Committee and Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, Dr. Akin Akingbulu, said the initiative underscores the Network’s commitment to strengthening electoral governance through inclusive engagement.

“Electoral integrity depends on informed citizen participation, institutional transparency and sustained multi-stakeholder engagement. The Citizens’ Town Hall provides a structured platform for constructive dialogue that strengthens public trust and reinforces collective accountability in the conduct of the governorship election,” Akingbulu said.

Also speaking, Co-Chair of the Planning Committee and Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said citizen engagement remains critical to safeguarding electoral credibility.

“The quality of an election is determined not only by institutional preparedness but also by the extent to which citizens are able to engage the process in an informed and meaningful manner. This Town Hall provides an accountability interface between citizens and electoral stakeholders, helping to strengthen transparency, public confidence and the integrity of the electoral process,” he said.

The Osun edition builds on previous citizen-focused initiatives by the Network, which began with a national dialogue on the Electoral Act 2026 in Abuja on March 1, 2026, and progressed to Ekiti State on May 24, 2026, ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election – the first conducted under the Electoral Act 2026.

The Civil Society Network on Election Integrity is a coalition of leading civil society organisations working to promote credible, peaceful, inclusive and transparent elections in Nigeria.