The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied allegations that it registered underage students as voters in Osun State, describing a viral video circulating on social media as misleading and aimed at discrediting the electoral process.
In a statement issued on Monday, the commission’s spokesperson in the state, Musa Olurode, said no underage person was registered at any INEC office, insisting that officials strictly adhered to constitutional and legal requirements during the exercise.
He explained that some students of YTD Grammar School, Ojoro, in Ede North Local Government Area, were reportedly brought to the INEC office last Friday in their school uniforms with the intention of registering.
“However, the Electoral Officer and other officials on duty, acting in strict compliance with the law, denied them entry into the office premises. Consequently, no underage person was registered,” Olurode said.
Reiterating INEC’s position, he stressed that only Nigerian citizens who have attained the age of 18 are eligible to be registered as voters under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.
“INEC officials have clear instructions to enforce this provision without exception,” he added.
The commission further assured residents of the state that it would not engage in or tolerate any act capable of undermining the credibility and integrity of the voter registration process.
It urged members of the public to disregard the viral post and rely solely on information from INEC’s official communication channels for accurate updates on its activities.
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