By Samuel Sunday
The Civil society groups monitoring the June 20 Ekiti State governorship election have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties, and the media to take immediate steps to address risks that could undermine the credibility of the poll.
Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, Dr. Akin Akingbulu of the Centre for Media and Society and Brenda Anugwom, CEO of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, presented the findings of the Election Observation Hub. The group concluded that while the pre-election environment remains calm, structural vulnerabilities pose a threat to a transparent, inclusive, and credible election.
The Hub said the poll, the first governorship election under the Electoral Act 2026, would test INEC’s operational readiness and key provisions on electronic results transmission and collation.
It called on INEC to ensure the timely release and effective use of election funds to complete the rehabilitation of state and local government offices, Registration Area Centres, and collation centres. The commission was also urged to configure and stress-test the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing portal to guarantee seamless accreditation and credible electronic transmission of results.
The report recommended activation of the INEC Security and Alert Notification System for rapid response, provision of protective gear for personnel and materials, and intensified voter education to curb apathy and vote trading. It further called for priority voting and accessibility measures for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, along with expanded deployment of assistive devices and improved collection of gender- and disability-disaggregated data.
Security agencies were advised to implement Operation Order 08/2026 with strict neutrality, professionalism, and intelligence-led deployment, with particular attention to border communities in Ikole, Moba, and Ilejemeje. The Hub urged a proportionate, rights-based approach to addressing vote trading and called for guarantees of safety for voters, journalists, observers, and electoral personnel.
Political parties and candidates were asked to sign and uphold the Peace Accord, commit to issue-based campaigning, reject vote buying and intimidation, and resolve internal disputes through lawful channels.
Media organisations were urged to seek INEC accreditation between April 8 and June 7, 2026, and to uphold fair, balanced, and conflict-sensitive reporting. The Hub recommended embedding fact-checkers in newsrooms and partnering with credible fact-checking bodies to counter misinformation, particularly on WhatsApp and other encrypted platforms. It also called for systematic documentation of security incidents to hold institutions accountable.
Civil society, traditional rulers, and religious leaders were asked to intensify peace messaging, voter education, and grassroots mobilisation, with deliberate outreach to women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The Hub said traditional and religious leaders should remain non-partisan and provide early warning information to INEC and security agencies.
The Hub concluded that the June 20 election faces structural vulnerabilities serious enough to challenge its credibility if left unaddressed. It cited a 34% INEC preparedness rate, delayed funding, an effectively uncontested political space, zero female candidates across 13 parties, and a media environment constrained by a punitive signage levy as warning signs.
“The credibility of the election will be determined not by the absence of violence alone, but by the transparency, inclusiveness and public acceptance of the outcome,” the report stated.
The Hub said it would deploy long-term and short-term observers across Ekiti State and continue to monitor the process.
