The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has denied allegations that underage persons were registered as voters in Ede North Local Government Area.
The electoral body described the claim, which surfaced on social media, as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Commission’s Public Affairs Officer, Musa Olurode, INEC said it became aware of a Facebook post alleging that schoolchildren in uniforms were registered at its Ede North office on Friday, February 6, 2026.
According to the Commission, although some students from YTD Grammar School, Ojoro Ede, arrived at the INEC office in uniforms with the intention of registering, officials on duty refused them access in line with electoral guidelines.
“No underage person was registered,” the statement said.
INEC stressed that only Nigerian citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to be enrolled as voters under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022, adding that its staff have been instructed to enforce this requirement strictly.
The Commission assured residents that it would not condone any action capable of undermining the credibility of the voter registration process, urging the public to rely solely on official INEC communication channels for verified information.
It also appealed to parents, school authorities and community leaders to help educate young people on the legal age requirement for voter registration.
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The clarification comes as political activities intensify ahead of the August 8 Osun governorship election.
Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who hails from Ede North, is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
He faces opposition from several candidates, including Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress and Dr Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress.
INEC noted that social media has increasingly become a tool for spreading election-related information, warning that unverified reports could mislead the public during the sensitive pre-election period.