Ahead of the Ekiti State governorship poll scheduled for June 20, 2026, civil society organisations under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase Two (EU-SDGN II) programme have expressed concerns over the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the much-awaited election.
The groups, during a media briefing in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, warned that critical operational and security gaps could undermine the credibility of the poll if not urgently addressed.
According to the pre-election assessment report presented by the Election Observation Hub, INEC’s preparedness across the 16 local government offices in Ekiti stood at 34 percent as of April 14, 2026.
The groups identified delayed election funding, poor infrastructure, inadequate operational vehicles and challenges with collation centres as major concerns.
The organisations also highlighted vote buying, political thuggery, disinformation and possible militarisation of election security as key threats to the poll, adding that Ado-Ekiti, Ikole, Moba and Ilejemeje local government areas were classified as high-risk areas, while Efon, Ikere and Oye were listed as medium-risk zones.
The groups further raised concerns over the exclusion of women and persons with disabilities from the governorship race, stressing that none of the 13 political parties fielded a female candidate.
They urged INEC to improve election preparedness, strengthen the BVAS and IReV systems, and intensify voter education ahead of the election.
Meanwhile, the report was jointly signed by CEMESO, ElectHER, IPC, NWTF, TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre and Yiaga Africa.