KEY POINTS

• OYSIEC formally notifies INEC that Oyo’s local government elections hold December 29, 2026.
• The commission requests an updated voter register and guidance on tackling political apathy.
• INEC’s Oyo REC urges OYSIEC to resist the pattern of ruling party dominance in LG polls.

The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission paid a formal visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Ibadan office Thursday, notifying the federal electoral body of the December 29, 2026 date for local government elections across the state and requesting collaboration on voter registers, materials, and strategy ahead of the poll.

The OYSIEC Chairman, Dr Afees Adeniyi, led the delegation and told INEC officials that the visit served a dual purpose. Beyond the formal date notification, Adeniyi said OYSIEC needed INEC’s institutional support and guidance to properly prepare, citing the assistance the state commission received from INEC during the 2023 elections as a foundation to build on. “We look forward to further guidance and advice from the commission as we prepare for the forthcoming election,” he said.

Voter register and political apathy top the request list

Among the OYSIEC INEC Oyo elections collaboration requests, Adeniyi specifically mentioned the need for an updated voter register and counsel on tackling political apathy, a persistent challenge in local government contests where turnout typically falls well below general election levels.

He stressed that the law clearly defines INEC’s supportive role toward state electoral commissions and that sustained cooperation between both bodies was essential to achieving credible outcomes at the grassroots level.

INEC’s resident commissioner issues a pointed challenge

Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner Prof Adeniran Tella welcomed the collaboration but added a frank observation that set a clear benchmark. He noted the widely documented pattern in which ruling party candidates tend to emerge as winners in local government elections conducted by state commissions across Nigeria, and consequently challenged OYSIEC directly to break that pattern in December.

“It is time for state Independent Electoral Commissions to take the bull by the horns by conducting proper elections and demonstrating the courage needed to uphold the integrity and credibility of the electoral process,” Tella said. He urged the new OYSIEC leadership to maintain strict professionalism and neutrality, arguing that the credibility of the December exercise would directly reflect on Oyo State’s broader democratic standing.