The Osun State governorship election will be a crucial test of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s preparedness to implement revised electoral guidelines ahead of the 2027 general elections, Professor Ernest Ereke has said. His comments followed reports of 29 fatalities recorded in 73 incidents of political and electoral violence across Osun State. Citing the Kimpact report, Ereke identified political disputes, criminality, cultism, perceived partisanship among state institutions, particularly security agencies, and weaknesses in election administration as factors fuelling the violence. On the role of security agencies, Ereke urged them to restore public confidence by demonstrating neutrality and protecting voters regardless of their political affiliation. He added that security agencies must “show that they are for everybody whether you are in the opposition party or in the ruling party.”