Osun 2026: Information Manipulation, Interference as a Growing Threat
As Osun State prepares for its August 15, 2026, governorship election, political campaigns have intensified both offline and online. Although elections should enable citizens to make informed...
As Osun State prepares for its August 15, 2026, governorship election, political campaigns have intensified both offline and online. Although elections should enable citizens to make informed choices, the growing spread of misinformation is becoming a major threat to the off-cycle electoral process.
Information manipulation has increasingly shaped the local political environment since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on political party campaigns. The campaign field has become a space for Information Manipulation and Interference (IMI), as politicians, party members, supporters, and sympathisers coordinate efforts to spread false, misleading, or manipulated content to sway public opinion, weaken opponents, discourage voter participation, and erode trust in the electoral body.
During the previous 2022 Osun State off-cycle election, reports identified patterns of information manipulation, including fake news, misleading image captions, and inactive online links allegedly used by partisan actors to mislead voters or discourage turnout in areas where the opposition was perceived to have support.
Advances in technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), have enabled political actors to use digital platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, WhatsApp, and Instagram to spread information within seconds. These platforms are increasingly being used for coordinated disinformation campaigns, manipulated images, AI-generated visuals, and misleading political narratives, signalling a possible rise in IMI activities in Osun.
There were 30 reported cases of politically motivated killings, allegedly involving politicians who sought to create fear and suppress voter participation ahead of election day.
The cases were linked to the two major political parties. The Accord Party alleged that violence and thuggery in the state stemmed from the APC’s lack of a convincing message for Osun voters. In response, the All Progressives Congress accused the Accord Party and some National and State Assembly members of spreading false allegations to influence public opinion as campaigns intensified.
NDRFactcheck investigations show that Information Manipulation and Interference (IMI) is widespread ahead of the 2026 Osun State off-cycle election, with false claims against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the continuous voter registration exercise alleging voter importation and registration fraud.
Political disinformation about party primaries and candidate selection appeared to target Senator Omisore, a leading All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant, by falsely claiming he had won the primary and received the party’s ticket in an attempt to confuse voters and party supporters.
Another growing concern is the use of performance misinformation, such as inflated governance achievements intended to influence public perception ahead of the election, with Governor Ademola Adeleke claiming his administration has hired over 5,000 teachers in Osun State.
Information manipulation has also been used to shape voter opinion around claims that Governor Adeleke sacked 1,000 of the 2,500 teachers employed by former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. Similarly, reputation manipulation involving APC gubernatorial candidate Bola Oyebamiji resurfaced in an apparent effort to influence voters’ perception of the candidate.
Furthermore, false security information about alleged bandit invasions in Inisa and Oyan communities, Osun State, was circulated on social media to create fear, discourage political participation, and influence voter behaviour ahead of the election. Such claims were speedily corrected by the Nigeria Police Force.
Education was also affected, as genuine concerns about increased tuition fees at UNILESA were presented misleadingly by falsely portraying the institution as Nigeria’s most expensive university, potentially shaping public perception of the Osun State Government and its education policies.
The 2026 Osun governorship election will be shaped not only at polling units but also on digital platforms, where public opinion is increasingly influenced. If Information Manipulation and Interference remain unchecked, they could affect voter behaviour, undermine electoral credibility, and weaken public confidence on election day.
Protecting the integrity of the election therefore requires more than securing ballot boxes; it also requires protecting the information environment to help safeguard democracy by ensuring that voters make decisions based on verified facts rather than manipulated narratives.
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