The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has strongly denied allegations by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that he is plotting to rig the 2026 Osun State governorship election in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement issued yesterday and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola described the accusation as false, malicious, and politically motivated.
He said it was a desperate attempt by the ruling PDP to divert attention from its waning popularity in the state.
“I believe in democracy and the rule of law,” Oyetola declared, dismissing the rigging claims as part of a “desperate smear campaign by the ruling party, which will face defeat in the 2026 Osun State governorship election.”
Oyetola stressed that he does not have any control over key national institutions, including INEC, the Police, or the Attorney-General of the Federation.
“I have no control over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, or the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF),” he said.
The former Osun governor then challenged the PDP to present verifiable evidence to support its claims.
“Without concrete proof, this allegation should be treated as the dying gasp of a political party on the verge of another resounding electoral defeat,” he added.
Meanwhile, INEC has reiterated its commitment to using the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in upcoming elections, emphasizing that the technology remains central to Nigeria’s electoral integrity.
Speaking to journalists in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, clarified the legal status of BVAS following recent court rulings.
“The Supreme Court in its judgment did not overrule the application of the usage of BVAS,” Agboke said.
“It only emphasised the fundamentals of the voters’ register to anything that INEC wants to do. The commission has the power to deploy technology to deepen the process. Therefore, we can come up in 2027 with any kind of technology because we have the basis for it, which is the law.”
Agboke also revealed that a large number of voters in Osun State have yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“360,794 PVCs are yet to be collected in the state,” he said, while urging the media to play an active role in sensitising citizens on the importance of not just registering, but also ensuring collection of their cards.
