INEC’s Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Dayo Oketola, made this known on Monday during an interview with Arise News.

Oketola also warned Nigerians against believing unverified videos and information shared on social media after the election.

He explained that voters had to be registered and accredited at their assigned polling units before they could vote.

“We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true. With BVAS in play for any election in Nigeria, there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters,” he said.

He added, “You cannot vote in an election unless you have been registered and accredited for that specific polling unit. Be careful what you believe, particularly in an election driven by information management and mismanagement.”

According to Oketola, voter turnout stood at 50.116 per cent, making it one of the highest recorded in recent off-cycle elections.

He said better preparation and improved logistics contributed to the turnout, while also encouraging more people to take part in elections.

Oketola described the peaceful conclusion of the election as a sign of growing democratic maturity in Nigeria, despite the tension recorded before the poll.

Governor Ademola Adeleke won the election with 511,067 votes, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.

IPAC said political parties were independent and had the right to decide whether to participate in an election.

Speaking to journalists, IPAC chairman in Bauchi, Auwal Isa, said, “out of the 22 parties that registered for the election, 16 are participating; that means only six are boycotting. It is their right to do so.”

Isa, who is also the Bauchi State Chairman of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), praised the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) for following due process in organising the election.

He also commended voters for coming out to choose their preferred candidates, describing this as an important part of democracy.

The IPAC chairman further praised the political parties that took part in the election, saying their participation showed confidence in the democratic process.

The Secretary of IPAC, Khalid Hassan Arewa, also said the council was satisfied with the conduct of the election.

“As far as we are concerned, we are satisfied with the conduct of the elections. It was done following due process by BASIEC,” Arewa said.

He added, “The election timetable was released, and an announcement for form purchase was made. My party bought the forms and participated in the election.”

Arewa explained that under the relevant electoral laws, an election could proceed where at least three registered political parties were participating.

He said IPAC was satisfied with BASIEC’s handling of the election and expressed confidence that some of the participating parties would win seats in their strongholds across Bauchi State.

Speaking with journalists in Minna on Monday, he urged Tinubu to change his approach and reconnect directly with Nigerians, saying the President should not depend solely on political structures ahead of 2027.

“For the number of APC governors that gathered in Osun, and for them to come back empty-handed, it is an indication that they have lost the confidence of the people,” Vatsa said.

He attributed the growing public anger to economic hardship, arguing that increased revenues following the removal of fuel subsidy had not translated into meaningful relief for ordinary Nigerians.

“The entire fuel subsidy money is being shared to the governors who are doing little or nothing with it, and unfortunately Nigerians are putting the blame of the current hardship on the doorstep of President Tinubu,” he said.

Vatsa said Nigerians were becoming less influenced by political structures, big names and elite endorsements, insisting that voters were now more concerned about tangible improvements in their lives.

“What the people want now is food on their table, jobs for their children, security in their communities, and visible impact from government in their daily lives,” Vatsa added.

The APC chieftain also blamed internal divisions within the ruling party for its poor performance in Osun, warning that similar opposition within the party could affect the 2027 general elections.

“There are so many oppositions within the party, and this will also play out in the general elections in 2027,” he said.

Vatsa further cautioned Tinubu against depending on ministers, lawmakers and governors whom he said had lost the confidence of their constituents.

“Many of the elites he is relying on, including ministers, lawmakers and governors, are not working in his best interest,” he noted.

Vatsa described the Osun election as an early warning to the APC, saying hunger, unemployment, insecurity and perceived poor leadership could shape voters’ decisions in 2027.

“If, despite the full solidarity of the APC structure in Osun, the governorship result did not favour our party, then the message is crystal clear. It is time for Tinubu to reconnect with the grassroots before the 2027 contest,” he stressed.