By Jane Okeke
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has described the June 20 Ekiti Governorship Election as largely peaceful and orderly but raised concerns over low voter turnout, procedural inconsistencies, and isolated cases of electoral malpractice.
Speaking on the election in Abuja on Monday, Mr. Celestine Okwudili Odo, Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, alongside Mrs. Mma Odi Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said the poll reflected citizens’ commitment to democracy despite declining public participation in elections.
The coalition deployed more than 200 accredited observers across Ekiti’s 16 Local Government Areas and monitored the process through its Situation Room Election Accountability Tracker (SEAT) platform.
According to the observers, election materials and officials arrived on time in most polling units, with voting commencing as scheduled in about 92 percent of locations monitored.
However, delays linked to logistics and late deployment of officials were recorded in parts of Ado-Ekiti, affecting the timely commencement of voting.
Situation Room said the election was generally peaceful, with security personnel maintaining visibility across polling units and election facilities throughout the state.
The group reported that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned effectively in most locations but experienced technical glitches in some polling units, particularly affecting facial verification for elderly voters.
In some affected areas, BVAS failures delayed accreditation and voting, while one polling unit reportedly could not commence voting immediately due to activation challenges.
The coalition noted that INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) recorded significant progress, with more than 85 percent of polling unit results uploaded by the evening of Election Day.
Despite the smooth conduct of the poll, Situation Room highlighted inconsistencies in the number of political parties listed on ballot papers and result sheets compared to earlier information released by INEC.
Observers also reported isolated cases of alleged procedural violations, including claims that some individuals without voter cards were allowed to vote after verification on the register.
The group further expressed concern over reports of voter inducement and the continued decline in voter participation despite high PVC collection rates across the state.
Situation Room called on INEC, security agencies, political parties, civil society groups, and lawmakers to address voter apathy, strengthen electoral integrity, investigate reported offences, and improve preparations of future elections, including the forthcoming Osun governorship poll.
