Oyebanji swears in five high court judges, urges fairness
National Peace Committee (NPC) has raised concerns that vote-buying, violence, and insecurity could undermine the legitimacy of the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

Speaking at a three-day Stakeholders’ Validation Forum held in Ado-Ekiti and organised by the NPC through its secretariat, the Kukah Centre, Senior Programme Manager of the centre, Esrom Ajanya, said the forum was convened to promote peaceful, issue-based electoral processes ahead of the poll.

Ajanya explained that the validation forum, funded by the European Union, aimed to strengthen local ownership of electoral risk assessments and generate practical recommendations for preventing election-related violence.

According to him, the process includes monitoring the electoral environment and assessing security dynamics through an Election Security Information Hub designed to provide context analysis of the political situation in Ekiti and guide the NPC’s engagement with stakeholders across the electoral value chain.

He called for proactive measures by security agencies to address interpersonal violence, which he described as a major threat capable of undermining democratic participation and weakening political accountability in the state.

Ajanya noted that while procedural compliance with the electoral timetable was important, the substance of the process — including security conditions, grassroots participation, and quality of engagement during the campaign period — must also align to ensure credible elections.

MEANWHILE, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, swore in five newly appointed high court judges, promising to continue strengthening the state’s judicial administration and deepening the justice system, stressing the importance of a fair and transparent administration of justice through the upholding of high-level justice standards.

The five new High Court judges are: Justices Adegoke Olanike Caroline, Bamise Julius Sunday, Bamidele Ajibare Julius, Akinyede Stephen Rotimi, and Anoma Adefunke Helen.