Ekiti governorship poll: Police restrict movement as observers raise concerns over vote-buying, disinformation

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 Key points

• Security agencies have imposed movement restrictions and deployed senior officers and specialised units ahead of Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election.
• Election observers have raised concerns over alleged vote-buying, voter inducement, political intimidation and the spread of disinformation.
• The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accused INEC of preventing it from uploading polling agents’ credentials, a claim the party says could undermine the credibility of the election.

Main story

Residents of Ekiti State are heading to the polls amid heightened security and growing calls for a peaceful, credible and transparent governorship election.

The election, which will see 1,059,360 registered voters choose from 15 governorship candidates, has so far been characterised by a relatively calm atmosphere across the state’s three senatorial districts, marking a departure from previous contests often associated with political tension and security concerns.

However, concerns emerged on the eve of the election as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of denying it the opportunity to upload credentials for its polling agents.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the party alleged that although INEC provided access credentials for agent registration, the commission failed to activate the relevant portal.

The SDP also dismissed reports suggesting it had withdrawn from the race, insisting that its candidate, Ambassador Isaac Adebayo Alade, remains duly recognised by INEC and actively participating in the election.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has imposed restrictions on vehicular movement across the state from midnight to 6:00 p.m. on election day as part of measures to ensure a peaceful exercise.

The restriction applies to private and commercial vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles and trucks, although exemptions have been granted to electoral officials, accredited journalists, election observers, medical personnel and emergency responders.

The issues

The election is taking place under the Electoral Act 2026 and revised INEC regulations, making it one of the first major electoral tests of Nigeria’s updated electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Key concerns ahead of the poll include allegations of voter inducement, vote-buying, political intimidation and the dissemination of false information through social media platforms.

Observers have also raised questions about aspects of INEC’s preparedness, particularly the failure to test electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the commission’s mock accreditation exercise.

Security challenges remain another concern, especially in border communities and areas vulnerable to criminal activities such as kidnapping and electoral violence.

What’s being said

The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Election Observation Hub said reports from the field indicated incidents of voter inducement and organised vote-buying schemes in several local government areas.

According to the observers, allegations include the distribution of money, food items and other materials to influence voters, as well as attempts to collect voters’ Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and National Identification Number (NIN) details in exchange for financial incentives.

The observers also expressed concern over political intimidation and the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation on platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok and X.

Despite these concerns, the group commended political parties and candidates for largely adhering to the Peace Accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee and noted that the security atmosphere remained calmer than in previous governorship elections.

On security, the police disclosed that Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Fayoade Adegoke Mustapha, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Olarenwaju Ogunlowo, have been deployed to coordinate election security operations.

Commissioner of Police overseeing the election, Abayomi Shogunle, said heavily armed police personnel, counter-terrorism operatives and members of the Special Intervention Squad had been deployed to strategic locations, including state boundaries and forest corridors, to prevent infiltration by criminal elements.

He assured residents that the security deployment was preventive and not intended to intimidate voters.

What’s next

Voting is expected to commence across 2,445 polling units in the state’s 16 local government areas, with INEC tasked with ensuring the timely deployment of personnel and materials.

Security agencies are expected to maintain surveillance throughout the voting, collation and result declaration processes, while election observers continue monitoring compliance with electoral guidelines.

Political parties and candidates are expected to channel any grievances through lawful and democratic means as the electoral process unfolds.

The outcome of the election is likely to serve as a key indicator of the effectiveness of Nigeria’s revised electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Bottom line

While Ekiti State enters election day under a relatively peaceful atmosphere, concerns over vote-buying, misinformation, political intimidation and electoral transparency remain significant. With extensive security deployments in place and observers closely monitoring developments, stakeholders say the credibility of the poll will depend on adherence to electoral rules, professionalism by security agencies and INEC’s ability to deliver a transparent process that reflects the will of voters.