By Ayodele Abere
The Ekiti State Police Command has vowed to clamp down on vote buying and other electoral malpractices during the June 20, 2026 governorship election, assuring residents that security agencies will adopt strong measures to ensure a credible, free, and fair poll.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, gave the assurance in Ado-Ekiti at the closing ceremony of a two-day Ekiti State Government Media-Led Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Credible Election, organised by the International Press Centre in collaboration with the Centre for Media and Society and sponsored by the European Union.
The dialogue convened officials of the Nigeria Police Force, National Orientation Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Nigerian Bar Association, Nigeria Labour Congress, and other stakeholders.
“We are going to be tough on vote buying and trading. We will always have criminal elements, and that is why we have the police. They will try to beat our strategies, but we will deploy our forces to prevent that menace,” Abutu said.
He noted that the Command is aware of the tense political atmosphere often associated with elections and would remain proactive in addressing emerging security threats, adding that police would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to maintain peace and order.
While speaking, Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Bunmi Omosehindemi described transparency as a key ingredient for credible polls and urged the media to serve as agenda setters through responsible reporting.
He assured journalists of unfettered access to information and said INEC was strengthening mechanisms to enhance transparency throughout the electoral process.
Omosehindemi disclosed that the Commission is working with the NUJ in the state to ensure only accredited journalists cover the election. “All journalists coming to cover the poll would be registered at designated centres in order to screen out unqualified individuals posing as media practitioners,” he said.
He added that INEC maintains zero tolerance for intimidation, arrest or harassment of journalists performing their lawful duties, and urged security agencies to ensure media professionals are not harassed while covering the election.
The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists
(NUJ), Ekiti State Council, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, said the union had taken steps to curb fake news among media practitioners and called for more INEC training on the 2026 Electoral Act to deepen understanding of the electoral framework.
Babatuyi noted that the NUJ had brought journalists in the state under one umbrella to enhance accountability and enable the union to track activities and stories in case of disputes.
He disclosed that the union is developing initiatives to address voter apathy and encourage citizens to exercise their civic responsibilities.
NAWOJ Ekiti Chairperson Adewunmi Ademiju said women journalists would play an active role in promoting accurate information ahead of the election.
“Women constitute a significant portion of the population and therefore have a critical role to play in shaping public discourse during the electoral process,”she said, adding that NAWOJ would embark on fact-checking initiatives to ensure verified information reaches the public.
Earlier, IPC Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade called for the safety of journalists and prompt investigation of any attacks on media personnel while they perform electoral duties.
“Protecting reporters on the field is essential to credible election coverage and democratic accountability,” Arogundade stressed.
