INEC Resumes IREV Uploads After Three-Hour Blackout, Results Hit 94% As Tension Spikes

For three hours, Osun held its breath.

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Saturday night paused uploads to its Result Viewing Portal, IReV, throwing the governorship collation into panic. By midnight, the portal was live again — and the numbers were climbing fast.

—THE BLACKOUT AND THE RUSH—

Uploads stopped abruptly at 8:48 p.m. For over 3 hours, no new results appeared.

When INEC switched the portal back on later in the night, the floodgates opened:

– 10:30 p.m: 3,292 of 3,763 polling units uploaded — 87.48%
– 12:20 a.m: 3,570 of 3,763 polling units uploaded — 94.87%

That left just 193 polling units outstanding as collation entered its final phase.

The sudden stoppage immediately triggered alarm across party camps and civil society groups monitoring the election.

—ADELEKE CAMP CRIES FOUL, CALLS TINUBU—

The delay hit hardest in the camp of Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking a second term on the platform of the Accord Party.

In a late-night statement, Adeleke appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to “caution security agencies against any action capable of undermining the electoral process.”

He alleged attempts to disrupt collation centres in parts of the state and urged the Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, NSCDC and other agencies to protect INEC officials and materials.

His campaign structure, the Imole Campaign Council, went further. In a statement signed by Media Chairman Rep. Bamidele Salam, the council alleged a plot by “APC leaders and some governors” to frustrate Adeleke’s expected victory and push for the election to be declared inconclusive.

The council also claimed ballot boxes were hijacked at some polling units and demanded tighter security at all collation centres.

—DAVIDO JOINS THE PRESSURE—

The drama spilled onto social media as Afrobeats star Davido, a cousin to the governor, called out INEC directly.

“Upload the outstanding results,” Davido posted, amplifying concerns from millions of followers watching Osun live.

His intervention added celebrity weight to growing demands for transparency.

—WHAT THE PAUSE MEANT—

Election observers say the IReV blackout, coming at the peak of collation, damaged public confidence — even if temporarily.

“Any pause in upload at this stage creates room for speculation, manipulation narratives, and tension,” said a Yiaga Africa observer in Osogbo. “INEC needs to explain what caused it.”

INEC has not yet given an official reason for the downtime. Sources at the state office blamed “network challenges in remote LGAs” and “backlog processing.”

—THE ROAD AHEAD—

With 94.87% of results already on IReV, the focus now shifts to the final 193 polling units and the state collation centre.

The Returning Officer is expected to announce the final result once all outstanding uploads and physical result sheets are verified.

For now, Osun waits — watching a portal, watching the collation hall, and watching to see if the process will hold.

The vote has been cast. The upload has resumed. The declaration is next.