After weeks of campaigns and political manoeuvring, 1,028,929 eligible voters in Ekiti State will today troop to the polling units to elect a governor among 13 candidates contesting the election.
They are: Opeyemi Falegan (Accord), Oluwasegun Akande (AAC), Oluwadare Bejide (ADC), Ojo Ayodeji (ADP), Olanrewaju Anifowose (APM), Biodun Oyebanji (APC), Dr Oluwole Oluyede (PDP), Olaiya Awogbemi (APP), Oyebanji Olajuyin (LP), Praise Ayodele (PRP), Damilola Adetunji (ZLP), Olusegun Osinkolu (YPP) and Blessing Abegunde (NNPP).
The governorship candidate of the APM, Chief Joseph Anifowose, had stepped down and endorsed Governor Biodun Oyebanji for re-election, and the SDP is also supporting the incumbent governor. The PDP candidate, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, is said to be enjoying the support of members and supporters of the Accord Party.
A total of 1,028,929 voters, representing 97.1 per cent of the state’s 1,059,360 registered voters, collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the poll.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, who recently visited the state, said the number of registered voters has increased from 987,647 to 1,059,360 following the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and the subsequent clean-up of the voters’ register.
The election will take place in 2,445 polling units in 177 wards in all the 16 local government areas of the state.
Police Restraints
The Ekiti State Police Command has announced restriction on vehicular movement across the state from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. today as part of measures to ensure a peaceful and violence-free governorship election.
The restriction covers all the roads and highways across the state, the command said in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu.
“This vehicular movement restriction is expected to limit the movement of political thugs and other criminal elements that may want to disrupt the electoral process,” the statement said.
The police said students writing national examinations, designated INEC officials, accredited journalists, election observers, medical personnel and emergency responders would be exempted from the restriction.
The command also warned that VIPs would not be allowed to move with armed escorts to polling units and collation centers.
“The movement of VIPs with armed escorts or security aides to polling units and collation centres is highly discouraged and will not be allowed,” the statement said.
It also prevented vigilante groups and other quasi-security outfits from offering security services during the election.
“Only officers and personnel of security agencies that are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) are allowed to provide security in and around designated election facilities.”
The police warned that violators of the directive or those seeking to undermine the electoral process would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, appealed to voters to come out peacefully to exercise their franchise. He assured residents of adequate security before, during and after the poll.
Sensitive Material Released
Sensitive election materials were on Thursday moved from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Ado-Ekiti under the supervision of INEC officials led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi.
Security agencies, election observers, civil society organisations and media representatives observed the sorting and distribution exercise before the materials were escorted to the various local government areas.
Security Presence Expands
Security personnel drafted for the election, including operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Immigration Service, have been deployed across the state.
Recall that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has deployed 10,000 personnel to Ekiti State to provide security during the forthcoming governorship election.
The Corps said the deployment was in accordance with its statutory responsibility to guarantee a peaceful, credible and violence free electoral process.
According to a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Assistant Commandant of Corps Babawale Afolabi on Wednesday, the personnel were drawn from several state commands including Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Ogun and Kogi as well as operational reinforcements from Zones 11 and 6.
Security operatives were already on strategic points in Ado-Ekiti and major highways linking the state with Kogi, Kwara, Ondo and Osun states as at Friday evening.
Identified Flashpoints
Between 469 and 500 polling units, INEC identified through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) as vulnerable areas that need additional security deployment.
Yiaga Africa also expressed concerns about potential flashpoints in Ado-Ekiti, Ikole, Oye, Ikere, Ilejemeje and Moba local government areas, citing security concerns and recent incidents of kidnapping which could affect voter confidence and movement.
CSOs Challenge Stakeholders
The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Election Observation Hub has urged INEC, political parties, security agencies, media and voters to act responsibly and ensure a credible election.
The group comprising the Kukah Centre, TAF Africa, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Yiaga Africa, International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) called on INEC to ensure the timely deployment of election materials and seamless electronic transmission of results.
“Guarantee the seamless electronic transmission of validated polling unit results in real time as stipulated in the Electoral Act 2026 and announce results in a transparent and timely manner at all levels,” the group said.
The coalition urged political parties to respect the Peace Accord and to refrain from violence, intimidation and vote-buying.
“We call on political parties and candidates to denounce all forms of vote trading and vote-buying, shun the use of thuggery and desist from disseminating fake news, misinformation and disinformation that can provoke violence.”
The group also urged security agencies to remain neutral and professional throughout the election period, while calling on the media to verify all information before they publish and not to report unofficial results.
Yiaga Africa said the election was significant as it would be the first governorship election under the Electoral Act 2026.
Its Chairperson for the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, Aisha Abdullahi, said there were concerns over inclusion in the electoral process.
Notably, no candidate publicly identifies as a person with disabilities. This constitutes a serious concern about the persistence of exclusion in political recruitment and candidate nomination.”
Yiaga Africa also cautioned that vote buying remained a major threat to the credibility of the election.
“Vote-buying is still one of the biggest threat to the integrity of the election that political actors across the party line may take advantage of,” the group said.
Media Urged To Be Professional
The International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) have urged journalists covering the election to be professional and ensure their safety.
IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, said journalists must not do anything that could jeopardise their neutrality.
“Journalists should be non-partisan. Partisanship is not only about being a member of a political party but also using expressions, symbols and colours that identify with a political party or personality,” he said.
He also advised journalists to always display their accreditation and identification tags to avoid unnecessary harassment by security personnel.
Similarly, CEMESO Executive Director, Dr Akin Akingbulu, stressed the importance of providing a safe working environment for journalists covering the election.
Stakeholders Demand Peaceful Poll
In the meantime, a coalition of electoral stakeholders under the auspices of the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) and the Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) called on INEC, security agencies, political actors and voters to sustain transparency, integrity and peaceful conduct during the election.
Stakeholders raised concerns on vote-buying, voter apathy and waning public confidence in elections, calling on INEC to adhere strictly to provisions of the Electoral Act especially electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
They also called on voters, especially the youth, to vote actively in the election and reject vote trading.
The stakeholders expressed optimism that adherence to the electoral laws and guidelines would boost public confidence and result in a free, fair and credible governorship election in Ekiti State.