By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: The Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija), a non-partisan civil society consortium, has called on the Inspector General of Police IGP and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to bring to justice those inciting or perpetrating violence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun state.

The group made the call in a statement issued to mark the 2026 International Youth Day, and signed by Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, Executive Director of The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) and South-West Coordinator of the YERP-Naija campaign.

The statement noted that this year’s International Youth Day, themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” highlights how young people across the world share universal hopes for dignity, opportunity, education and a sustainable future despite differing local and regional realities, including calls for stronger democracy on the African continent.

According to YERP-Naija, youth from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory FCT are standing behind one aspiration as Osun State prepares for its governorship election on August 15, 2026 — a credible, peaceful and inclusive process.

The group said Osun youth had provided strong leadership in advocating for credible elections, campaigning for the passage of the Electoral Act 2026, conducting statewide voter education, and securing commitments from INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders to play by the rules.

“Osun youth also conducted statewide sensitization against election-related violence and know firsthand that a majority of young people in the state stand firmly against it. This is why we are highly disappointed by the rhetoric from political leaders, which is inflaming passions or outrightly inciting violence and other forms of electoral offenses,” the statement read.

The group said off-cycle or stand-alone elections come with the advantage of extra personnel to strengthen electoral administration and tackle crimes, and urged INEC and the police to make full use of that advantage to uphold the rule of law.

YERP-Naija reminded INEC, the police and other security agencies of the commitments they had made to keep the electoral process transparent, credible and peaceful, while also calling on Osun youth to honour their own commitment to vote en masse for candidates of their choice and remain law-abiding throughout the process.

The group said youth across Osun State and Nigeria are closely watching the conduct of the August 15 governorship election and expected it to align with standards provided in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026, and Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.