By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has commended the peaceful conduct of the June 20 Ekiti State governorship election but expressed concern over alleged vote-buying, technical glitches associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), procedural inconsistencies and persistently low voter turnout.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the coalition of civil society organisations supporting credible, transparent and inclusive elections said it deployed observers across all 16 local government areas of Ekiti State to monitor the governorship poll.
The observation mission combined reports from accredited election observers stationed at polling units and citizen observers using the Situation Room’s Election Accountability Tracker (EAT) mobile and web application.
The coalition also received reports from partner organisations, including ActionAid Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation, Centre LSD and Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), with over 200 accredited observers deployed across the state.
Presenting its final assessment, the Situation Room stated that the election was conducted in a generally peaceful atmosphere across most parts of Ekiti State, allowing voters to exercise their franchise without widespread disruption.
According to the coalition, election officials and security agencies largely discharged their responsibilities in line with established procedures, describing the exercise as another important milestone in Nigeria’s democratic consolidation efforts.
“The election demonstrated the continued commitment of citizens to democratic participation despite concerns over voter turnout and public confidence in electoral institutions,” the coalition noted.
The Situation Room reported that election officials and materials arrived on schedule in most polling units between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., with voting commencing early in approximately 92 per cent of the polling units observed.
However, delays were recorded in some locations, including St. George Primary School and St. Thomas Primary School in Ado-Ekiti, where logistical challenges and late deployment of officials affected the commencement of voting.
Observers reported orderly accreditation and voting processes in most polling units, with election officials generally adhering to established procedures.
Despite the peaceful conduct of the election, voter turnout remained low.
According to figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), about 1.03 million voters had collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), representing 97.1 per cent of registered voters.
However, only about 384,940 voters were accredited, resulting in an estimated turnout of approximately 35 per cent.
The coalition described the figure as a continuation of the low voter participation trend witnessed in recent off-cycle governorship elections across the country.
On election technology, the Situation Room said BVAS functioned effectively in most polling units.
Nevertheless, isolated incidents of technical failures led to temporary delays in voter accreditation and voting.
In several cases, BVAS reportedly failed to authenticate voters, particularly elderly persons, through facial recognition. Technical malfunctions were reported in polling units located in Ado and Oye Local Government Areas, causing significant delays before accreditation could resume.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room further disclosed that uploads of polling unit results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) commenced around 4:30 p.m., with reports indicating that more than 85 per cent of polling unit results had been uploaded by the evening of election day.
On security, the Situation Room noted that the environment remained generally peaceful throughout the state, with security personnel visibly deployed at polling units and collation centres.
However, it said reports of isolated incidents had been received and should be investigated by the relevant authorities.
The coalition also identified concerns regarding compliance with electoral procedures. While polling officials demonstrated adequate knowledge of election guidelines, inconsistencies were observed in the number of political parties reflected on election materials.
According to the report, INEC had earlier communicated that 14 political parties would participate in the election.
However, ballot papers reportedly contained 19 political parties, while result sheets reflected 15 parties, creating confusion among voters.
Additional irregularities were reported in some polling units, including allegations that individuals without PVCs were allowed to vote after verification of their names on the voter register.
The Situation Room also highlighted accessibility challenges affecting persons with disabilities, elderly voters and nursing mothers.
It cited polling units located in inaccessible buildings, poor voting arrangements that compromised ballot secrecy, inadequate communication regarding relocated polling units and limited availability of disability-friendly voting materials.
Among its major concerns were allegations of vote-buying in some locations, delayed commencement of voting in certain polling units, inconsistent compliance with electoral procedures and the persistent challenge of voter apathy.
The coalition warned that the low turnout recorded in Ekiti raises important questions about public confidence in electoral processes, political parties and governance outcomes ahead of the 2027 General Election.
To address the identified challenges, the Situation Room urged INEC to undertake a comprehensive review of logistical and operational issues encountered during the election before the forthcoming Osun State governorship election. It also called for greater clarity on PVC-related procedures and consistency in the production of election materials.
The coalition further recommended that security agencies strengthen efforts to prevent electoral offences, including voter inducement and intimidation, while political parties should promote issue-based campaigns and deepen internal democracy.
It also called on the National Assembly, political parties and civil society organisations to intensify efforts aimed at reversing declining voter turnout and restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The Situation Room urged relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate and prosecute all electoral offences in accordance with the law.
Concluding its assessment, the coalition commended the people of Ekiti State for their peaceful participation in the election and acknowledged the contributions of election officials, security agencies, political parties, observers, the media and other stakeholders.
It stressed that lessons from the Ekiti governorship election should guide ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening electoral integrity, democratic governance and citizen participation as Nigeria prepares for future elections.
