By Felix Khanoba
Civil society organisations (CSOs) under the Election Observation Hub and the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase Two (EU-SDGN II) programme have raised concerns over the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the groups warned that delays in the release of election funds and inadequate preparations could undermine the credibility of the poll, which will be the first governorship election conducted under the Electoral Act 2026.
The coalition said INEC’s readiness level across the 16 local government areas in the state stood at only 34 per cent as of April 14, 2026, while the commission’s Ekiti office had yet to receive election funding.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade, said several state and local government offices, operational vehicles, Registration Area Centres (RACs) and collation centres required urgent rehabilitation before the election.
He stressed that timely funding and proper planning remained critical to the success of the exercise.
“The 20 June 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election is a critical milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey and a forerunner to the 2027 General Election. The election faces structural vulnerabilities serious enough to challenge its credibility if left unaddressed,” Arogundade said.
“A 34% INEC preparedness rate, delayed election funding, an effectively uncontested political space, zero female candidates across 13 parties, and a media environment partially suppressed by a punitive levy are not the markers of a conducive electoral environment. They are warning signs and this report names them as such.”
The coalition urged INEC to ensure the immediate release and effective utilisation of election funds to complete pending pre-election activities and strengthen logistics.
The groups also called on the electoral body to configure and conduct stress tests on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to guarantee seamless voter accreditation, transparent collation and credible electronic transmission of results in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
In addition, the organisations recommended the activation of the INEC Security and Alert Notification System (ISANS) to improve rapid response during the election, especially amid concerns over insecurity in some parts of the state.
Arogundade identified Ado-Ekiti, Ikole, Moba and Ilejemeje local government areas as high-risk zones due to fears of urban violence and kidnapping.
While acknowledging that the political atmosphere in the state remained relatively peaceful, he warned against interpreting the calm as evidence of a healthy democratic environment.
“A ‘Peaceful and Non-competitive’ Election Is Not Automatically a Democratic One,” he said, noting that the poll was widely perceived as non-competitive because of the dominance of incumbency and alleged elite consensus around the sitting governor.
The coalition also urged political parties and candidates to sign and respect peace accords ahead of the election.
Executive Director of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Brenda Anugwom, called on political actors to embrace issue-based campaigns and reject vote buying, voter intimidation and the use of political thugs.
She further advised parties to resolve disputes through lawful and judicial channels while avoiding inflammatory statements capable of heightening tension.
The civil society groups also expressed concern over the exclusion of women, youths and persons with disabilities from the electoral process.
According to Anugwom, none of the 13 political parties fielded a female governorship candidate despite existing gender inclusion laws in Ekiti State.
The coalition also criticised the N5 million campaign signage levy imposed by the Ekiti State Signage and Advertisement Agency, describing it as a policy that could disadvantage opposition parties.
The groups urged INEC, security agencies, political parties and other stakeholders to work collectively toward ensuring a peaceful, transparent, inclusive and credible election.
