Osun Governorship Election: INEC Says It Is Unaware Of NURTW Factions

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has said it is unaware of any faction within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) as preparations intensify for the August 15 governorship election.

The Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oluwatoyin Babalola, made the clarification on Sunday during a town hall meeting organised by the Civil Society Network on Election Integrity in Osogbo.

Babalola explained that INEC coordinates election logistics directly with the national leadership of the NURTW rather than state chapters, stressing that the arrangement is governed by an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the commission and the transport union.

According to her, the commission has maintained regular communication with representatives of the union's national leadership and has not been notified of any division or faction within the organisation.

"For the transportation of our materials and personnel, we rely on the NURTW and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). The national leadership has an MoU with the Commission, and we have been communicating with a representative of the national leadership. We're not aware of any factionalisation," she said.

The REC disclosed that INEC has already concluded training sessions for transport providers across all local government areas in Osun State as part of its logistical preparations for the governorship election.

She further revealed that the commission has scheduled inspections of vehicles designated for election duties on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the poll to ensure they meet the standards outlined in the agreement with the transport unions.

"Part of the MoU is that they must provide us with good vehicles, and we have scheduled the Tuesday and Wednesday preceding the election to inspect those vehicles," Babalola added.

Her comments come amid an ongoing leadership dispute within the Osun State chapter of the NURTW, following the appointment of a new caretaker committee by the union's national leadership after disagreements among officials in the state chapter.

Despite the internal crisis within the state branch of the union, INEC maintained that its election logistics remain unaffected, emphasizing that all transportation arrangements for the August 15 governorship election are being coordinated through the national leadership of the NURTW and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).