Accreditation has commenced at polling units in Ilesa as Independent National Electoral Commission ad hoc staff arrived early ahead of voting in the Osun State governorship election on Saturday.
The election is being held across the state on August 15, with voters choosing the governor who will lead Osun for the next four years.
In Ilesa, electoral officials were seen at several polling locations before the commencement of voting.
Our correspondent monitoring the exercise reported that ad hoc staff arrived early at Ward 1, Unit 8, and Ward 8, Unit 3, both in Ilesa West Local Government Area.
Many voters were also observed checking their names on registers pasted close to the polling booths as they prepared to cast their ballots.
At Ward 1, Unit 8, the Supervisory Presiding Officer, Segun Adegbaju, said voting was expected to begin by 8:30am.
“We are waiting to start by 8:30am. We are not having any challenge. Security is good and the voters are coming to check their names,” Adegbaju said.
The early arrival of electoral officials and voters in Ilesa mirrors developments in other parts of Osun, where voters and election personnel were also seen making their way to polling units early in the morning.
In Ede, voters and NYSC members were reportedly moving towards polling locations as early as 6:30am, while some voters in Iragbiji arrived before electoral officials and waited for the process to begin.
Security was also highly visible across Ilesa, with armed soldiers stationed at strategic points around the metropolis.
The deployment comes amid heightened attention to security during the governorship election, following weeks of political campaigning and mobilisation across the state.
At Ward 5, Unit 1, in Ilesa East Local Government Area, a physically challenged voter, Mrs Toyin Fapohunda, was among those at the polling unit to participate in the election.
Her presence underscored the participation of voters with disabilities as eligible residents across Osun exercise their constitutional right to vote.
The Osun election is being closely watched, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke facing major challengers including the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Other candidates are also seeking to take control of the state in a contest that has attracted significant political attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it is prepared for the poll, with electoral technology and personnel deployed across the state.
As accreditation progresses, attention will focus on voter turnout, the smooth operation of BVAS, security at polling units and the eventual collation of results.
In Ilesa, voters and election officials were already settling into the process early Saturday, with the immediate focus on ensuring that accreditation and voting proceed without disruption.
