A team from the International Republican Institute, IRI, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, held an interactive session with the Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Security, Ekiti State, CP Abayomi Shogunle, PhD,, and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, CP Falade Adegeroye Michael, at the Command Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.
The engagement was part of IRI’s pre-election assessment activities ahead of Saturday’s June 20, 2026 governorship election.
The IRI team, in Ekiti for election monitoring and technical assessment, comprised William Meeker, Sentell Barnes, Keziah Waweru, and Sunday Alao.
The team said the visit was aimed at assessing the level of preparedness for election security and supporting credible electoral processes. They sought to understand the readiness of the Police and other security agencies for peaceful conduct of the poll.
CP Shogunle said the Command has adopted a multi-layered security approach to ensure a peaceful, free, fair, and credible election.
He assured the team that adequate personnel would be deployed to all polling units, with reinforcements expected from other state commands to complement existing strength.
According to him, strategic measures have been put in place to guarantee prompt commencement of voting across the state.
He disclosed that potential flashpoints in some local government areas have been identified, with proactive deployment of personnel and resources already effected to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
CP Shogunle added that the Command does not anticipate major security challenges before, during, or after the election, given the robust security architecture in place.
He said enhanced security presence would boost public confidence and encourage higher voter turnout compared to previous elections.
The CP also noted that border security would be strengthened, particularly along Ekiti’s boundaries with Kogi and Kwara states, to prevent the influx of criminal elements.
He reiterated the Command’s commitment to providing a secure environment for all eligible voters to exercise their civic rights without fear or intimidation, and urged the public to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies throughout the electoral process.
