Despite Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s landslide victory in Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election, observer groups have flagged vote-buying allegations, BVAS failures, ballot irregularities and logistical lapses, warning that persistent flaws continue to threaten electoral credibility and voter confidence.

The election involved 1,059,360 registered voters, while 1,028,929 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had been collected before the exercise.

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the election with 319,224 votes, defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr Wole Oluyede, who secured 40,543 votes, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, who polled 12,872 votes.

Oyebanji, yesterday, thanked the people of the state for re-electing him for a second term, promising to work harder and serve them better.

He also said his re-election was a validation and broad endorsement of the economic policies and reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which, according to him, have freed up resources for sub-national governments to deliver on their promises to the electorate.

The governor stated this in his acceptance speech at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti, a few hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner.

“There is no doubt that this is an unprecedented electoral outcome in the history of our state, and indeed Nigeria. You have spoken loudly and unequivocally, and I have heard you clearly.

“We have heard your voice. We have accepted the challenge which this unity mandate has thrown upon us. Your electoral preferment of us is truly humbling, and we do not take it for granted.

“I can only assure you that the best has just begun. We will rededicate ourselves even more strongly to implementing our Shared Prosperity Agenda. We will work harder and smarter to serve you better,” he said.

The result underscored the APC’s dominance across the state and exposed the weakness of the opposition. It also reignited concerns over voter participation, as a significant proportion of registered voters stayed away from the polls.

INEC accredited 384,940 voters, while 375,777 votes were declared valid. Rejected votes stood at 6,332, bringing the total votes cast to 382,109. The figures indicate that fewer than half of registered voters participated in the election.

Although the poll was largely peaceful and orderly, it exposed persistent weaknesses that continue to challenge the credibility and inclusiveness of Nigeria’s electoral process.

Yiaga, KDI, MCE raise concerns over conduct of election
Yiaga Africa identified critical shortcomings in results management, voter turnout computation, consistency of sensitive election materials and public communication during the election.

Presenting the organisation’s final Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) statement in Ado-Ekiti, Chairperson of the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, Dr Aisha Abdullahi, said the election recorded notable improvements in election-day administration, particularly the early deployment of officials and materials, prompt commencement of accreditation and voting, and the generally peaceful atmosphere.

However, she noted that widespread reports of vote-buying and voter inducement undermined the integrity of voter choice and remained a serious threat to credible elections.

Yiaga Africa stated that its observation covered between 249 and 250 sampled polling units, representing 99 per cent of selected polling units, enabling it to independently verify INEC’s declared results.

The group reported that in 10 per cent of polling units, some voters were denied accreditation because the BVAS failed to verify their PVCs or authenticate their fingerprints and facial biometrics. It also found that in 14 per cent of polling units, some voters were accredited and allowed to vote using printed slips containing their details without presenting physical PVCs.

In addition, the organisation reported that ballot secrecy was compromised in some locations, noting that in 17 per cent of polling units it was possible at some point during the day to observe how voters marked their ballots.

Yiaga Africa estimated turnout at between 34.1 and 38.2 per cent, while INEC announced a turnout of 38.7 per cent. According to the organisation, the discrepancy stemmed from INEC’s reported use of the 2022 voter register figure of 988,251 instead of the updated 2026 register containing 1,059,360 registered voters.

“The election exposed critical gaps in results management, voter turnout computation, the consistency of sensitive materials and public communication of late administrative and judicial changes affecting the election,” the organisation stated.

ALSO, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) said election-day logistics and technology produced mixed outcomes, including delays in the arrival of election materials and concerns surrounding the performance of the BVAS.

Executive Director of KDI, Bukola Idowu, told journalists in Ado-Ekiti that the election was generally orderly and functional but exposed persistent operational vulnerabilities relating to election-day logistics, timely arrival of officials, commencement of polling and election technology.

According to him, KDI received verified reports from 384 observation locations. Analysis showed that 52.3 per cent of polling units recorded early or on-time arrival of election officials, while 47.7 per cent experienced late arrival based on the official benchmark of 7:30 a.m.

Similarly, 84 per cent of polling units commenced accreditation and voting on schedule, while 16 per cent started later than the prescribed benchmark.

“The evidence suggests that the principal challenge facing election administration in Ekiti was not isolated major disruptions but the cumulative impact of multiple smaller operational constraints across different parts of the state,” Idowu said.

He added that the election environment remained generally peaceful across observed locations and that KDI would continue post-election verification and forensic analysis before issuing its final assessment.

THE Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) commended Ekiti residents for their peaceful conduct and commitment to democratic participation but called for a thorough investigation into allegations of vote-buying and other electoral irregularities.

In a statement, the group’s Convener, Wale Okunniyi, expressed concern over reports and video clips circulating on social media alleging electoral malpractice in parts of the state.

He described allegations of vote-buying and voter inducement as troubling and cited an incident involving ADC candidate Dare Bejide, who reportedly confronted an individual accused of distributing money to voters.

MCE also raised concerns over reports of an alleged pre-thumb-printed ballot paper discovered at a polling unit, describing the allegation as one that strikes at the heart of electoral integrity.

The group further expressed alarm over videos and testimonies alleging the distribution of uncollected PVCs to persons purportedly brought into the state to influence the election outcome.

According to MCE, if substantiated, such allegations would amount to grave violations of Nigeria’s electoral laws and pose a serious threat to the credibility of the democratic process.

Consequently, the organisation called on INEC, security agencies and other relevant institutions to investigate all allegations of vote-buying, voter inducement and electoral malpractice.

It also urged INEC to conduct a forensic review of the alleged pre-thumb-printed ballot paper incident, investigate claims relating to uncollected PVCs, publish verifiable records of uncollected voter cards and strengthen safeguards against unauthorised access to electoral materials.

“The people of Ekiti deserve an election that reflects their genuine democratic choices and not one tainted by allegations of vote-buying, ballot manipulation, voter impersonation or abuse of electoral materials,” Okunniyi said.

Observers decry vote buying, BVAS glitches
SIMILARLY, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) raised concerns over alleged vote buying, inconsistencies in sensitive election materials and malfunctioning voter accreditation devices during the election, despite describing the exercise as largely peaceful.

The concerns were contained in separate preliminary assessments.

CDD, which monitored the election through its Election Analysis Centre (EAC), said the poll was conducted in a generally peaceful atmosphere, with early deployment of officials and voting materials in many polling units. However, it identified operational shortcomings that could affect public confidence in the electoral process.

According to the group, voter turnout appeared lower than expected in several polling units when compared with the number of registered voters assigned to them, despite noticeable voter enthusiasm in some locations.

A major concern highlighted by the observers was what they described as inconsistencies in sensitive election materials. The group noted that ballot papers used for the election carried the names of 19 political parties, while Form EC8A result sheets listed only 15 parties, despite the final candidate list published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) containing 14 candidates.

CDD also reported an incident in Ilawe-Ekiti where election officials initially issued unstamped and unsigned ballot papers to voters. The situation, according to the group, was later corrected following the intervention of an INEC supervisor from Abuja.

The organisation further documented cases of malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, which temporarily disrupted accreditation and voting processes in parts of Ado-Ekiti and Oye Local Government Areas.

On security, the observer group said the election remained largely peaceful despite the heavy deployment of security personnel across the state.

The organisation stated that its observers did not record widespread incidents of intimidation, harassment or violence at polling units. It, however, reported procedural violations involving some party agents, including alleged interference in voting, improper assistance to voters and disputes among rival party representatives.

CDD also documented multiple incidents of alleged vote buying and voter inducement involving agents of major political parties.

According to the report, some voters were allegedly paid N10,000 after casting their ballots, while tally slips were reportedly used in certain locations to facilitate post-voting payments.

The organisation expressed concern over what it described as the apparent absence of officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at many polling units despite the agency’s mandate to tackle electoral bribery.

The observer group further raised concerns over misinformation and disinformation during the election.

CDD said its fact-checking team debunked claims linking a fire incident at a police station in Isan-Ekiti to the election, establishing instead that the incident resulted from a dispute associated with a local football match.

The group also identified a discrepancy during vote counting at a polling unit in Ado-Ekiti, where the number of votes counted exceeded the number of voters accredited by the BVAS.

According to the observers, election officials subsequently discovered duplicate ballot paper serial numbers as well as a ballot paper without a serial number.

Despite the concerns, CDD commended voters, election officials and security agencies for maintaining a peaceful atmosphere throughout the exercise.

The organisation called on INEC to explain the discrepancies observed in election materials and urged security agencies and anti-corruption bodies to strengthen efforts against vote trading ahead of future elections, including the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State and the 2027 general election.

The statement was signed by CDD-West Africa Director, Dauda Garuba, and Chair of the Election Analysis Centre, Victor Adetula.

ALSO, CJID reported incidents of vote buying and other electoral irregularities in parts of the state during the election.

In an observation update released yesterday, the organisation said its observers recorded cases of vote trading across several local government areas despite repeated warnings by electoral authorities and security agencies.

CJID also reported instances where party agents allegedly offered assistance to voters at polling units.

The organisation noted that while voter assistance is permitted under certain circumstances, such support is restricted to persons with visual impairments or other disabilities and must be provided by a person chosen by the voter.

It added that INEC bears responsibility for ensuring that appropriate support mechanisms are available for eligible voters who require assistance.

Condemning the reported incidents, CJID urged INEC and security agencies to investigate the allegations and prosecute anyone found culpable in accordance with the law.

The organisation warned that vote trading and voter inducement pose serious threats to electoral integrity and could undermine public confidence in the democratic process.

It called for swift action by relevant authorities to deter future violations and strengthen the credibility of elections in the country.

Afenifere: INEC should address Ekiti poll complaints before Osun election
THE Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, noted that while the Ekiti election demonstrated improvements in INEC’s operational efficiency, particularly in result transmission, it remains a manageable exercise compared with the scale of national general elections.

He said: “The Ekiti off-season gubernatorial election may not really be regarded as an isolated exercise in view of several parliamentary by-elections that are held simultaneously across the country, requiring the deployment of personnel and logistics.

“Yet it is child’s play compared with the magnitude of efforts required in national general elections.

“This election, therefore, ought to be a flawless litmus test for INEC under Amupitan, particularly in the area of timely accreditation using the BVAS procedure. The prompt release of the results of the election through the IReV deserves encouragement, but it is certainly not yet Uhuru.

“It is hoped that Prof Amupitan and his crew will take such complaints into consideration ahead of the imminent Osun gubernatorial election, which I presume will pose greater challenges to INEC.

“The complaints about vote buying and all sorts are a cancerous challenge for the political class, and INEC could hardly be blamed for it, in my own view. The calibre of persons that may be involved would certainly be a challenge to ordinary police officers, and it is most unfortunate.

“Well, about the performance of political parties in the election, only an unrealistic analyst will expect anything different. Elections, particularly in Nigeria, are determined by the preponderance of the gladiators, and from all reasonable parameters, Ekiti is virtually a one-party APC state as of today. Most of the former governors, irrespective of their parties, have signed on with the governor. At the federal level, all the gladiators, including the Senate Leader, the Senate spokesman and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, are seasoned men of the President.”