Lawyers, activists and other stakeholders have urged Nigerians to emulate the vigilance displayed by Osun voters during last Saturday’s governorship election ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The call followed reports of residents monitoring the movement of election materials and gathering at collation centres to ensure that their votes were properly counted. Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke was later declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The stakeholders said the Osun experience showed that citizens needed to remain involved in the electoral process beyond casting their ballots. They encouraged voters to observe counting, document results and follow the collation process through lawful and peaceful means.

However, some commentators warned against citizens putting themselves at risk in the name of protecting their votes. They stressed that INEC, security agencies and other institutions had the responsibility to safeguard election materials and ensure credible results.