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Osun 2026: COD Raises Alarm Over ₦100,000 Payment to Corps Members, Warns Against Election Compromise

Published by admin on August 10th, 2026.

Osun 2026: COD Raises Alarm Over ₦100,000 Payment to Corps Members, Warns Against Election Compromise

The Coalition for Osun Development (COD) has warned members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving as ad-hoc personnel in the August 15 Osun State governorship election against colluding with the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke to compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

The warning was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Contact and Mobilisation of the Coalition for Osun Development, Comrade Banji Abidogun.

Abidogun said the group had received credible information that the Osun State Government on Sunday commenced the payment of ₦100,000 each to corps members in the state who had been assigned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to serve as Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) during Saturday’s governorship election.

According to him, sources who are corps members serving in different parts of the state confirmed receiving what they described as “strange” credit alerts of ₦100,000 from the Osun State Government through the State Integrated Financial Management Information System (SIFMIS).

He said the corps members were subsequently informed that the payment was a mobilisation gift from the state government ahead of the August 15 election.

The COD Director of Contact and Mobilisation revealed that the latest payment was in addition to the ₦20,000 received by the corps members the previous week, describing the successive payments as suspicious and capable of compromising the neutrality of ad-hoc personnel engaged in the conduct of the election.

He further stated that the latest payment came amid concerns surrounding the financial activities of the state government, noting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had recently frozen the state government’s account over alleged financial misconduct.

Abidogun described the ₦100,000 payment as a potential financial inducement aimed at influencing election officials and called on corps members to reject any attempt to compromise their statutory responsibilities.

“Corps members should not allow themselves to be used to undermine the will of the people of Osun State. Whatever money anybody gives you cannot be worth compromising your future or becoming part of an electoral process that is deliberately manipulated.

“Your responsibility is to the Osun people and to the integrity of the electoral process. You must remain neutral, professional and impartial, irrespective of whatever inducement or pressure may be brought to bear on you,” he said.

Abidogun disclosed that the EFCC and other anti-graft and law-enforcement agencies had been put on high alert to monitor financial inflows and transactions involving ad-hoc personnel engaged for the election.

According to him, anyone found to have participated in activities capable of compromising, manipulating or discrediting the integrity of the electoral process would be made to face the full weight of the law.

He therefore urged all corps members serving as election officials to remain neutral, professional and transparent, stressing that their allegiance should be to the Nigerian people and the sanctity of the electoral process rather than any political party or individual.

The COD chieftain also called on INEC and security agencies to closely monitor the activities of all political actors and election officials before, during and after the election, particularly with regard to suspicious financial transactions and attempts to influence ad-hoc personnel.

He maintained that the August 15 governorship election must be allowed to reflect the genuine wishes of the people of Osun State, warning that no amount of financial inducement or political pressure should be allowed to undermine the credibility of the poll.