EKITI DECIDES SATURDAY AS INEC MOVES SENSITIVE MATERIALS, SECURITY AGENCIES DEPLOY FOR GOVERNORSHIP POLL
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
With two days to the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, electoral authorities, security agencies and civil society organisations have intensified preparations for what is expected to be one of Nigeria’s most closely watched off-cycle elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to begin the movement of sensitive election materials to the state’s 16 local government areas on Thursday, while security agencies have activated extensive operational plans to guarantee a peaceful, transparent and credible poll.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) announced the deployment of 10,000 personnel across the state, while the Nigeria Police Force confirmed that election security arrangements had been fully activated under a coordinated inter-agency framework.
The Court of Appeal has also constituted the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal ahead of possible post-election disputes, while the Nigerian Air Force confirmed the successful airlift of sensitive electoral materials in support of the election.
Ekiti voters are expected to choose a governor from among candidates representing 13 political parties across the state’s 16 local government areas, 177 wards and over 2,000 polling units in a contest widely viewed as politically significant ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on preparations, Ekiti Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, said INEC had concluded major arrangements for the election and remained ready to conduct a credible process.
“We have done most of the things we need to do,” he said, adding that non-sensitive materials had already been distributed.
Sensitive materials scheduled for movement include ballot papers, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and voter registers.
Supporting the logistics operation, the Nigerian Air Force said it transported election materials between June 15 and 16 from Abuja to designated locations across the country.
Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the operation was designed to ensure timely and secure delivery of materials for the Ekiti governorship election and other by-elections scheduled nationwide.
As election activities intensify, security agencies have rolled out comprehensive operational measures aimed at preventing violence and safeguarding electoral assets.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Abayomi Shogunle, has assumed duty and commenced implementation of election security protocols approved by the Inspector-General of Police.
According to the Ekiti Police Command, the strategy includes intelligence gathering, anti-thuggery operations, counter-misinformation efforts and protection for voters, electoral officials, observers and journalists.
Separately, the NSCDC disclosed that personnel drawn from multiple state commands and specialised tactical units had been mobilised to guarantee total security coverage.
The Corps said elite formations including the Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialized Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Force and K9 Unit had been deployed.
Civil society organisations are also making efforts to ensure inclusivity during the exercise.
TAF Africa announced plans to deploy 150 election observers and 25 sign language interpreters to polling units with registered voters living with hearing impairments.
The organisation said the initiative was designed to ensure persons with disabilities fully participate in the electoral process through real-time election monitoring and accessibility support.
Meanwhile, preparations for post-election adjudication have commenced following the constitution of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.
The tribunal is expected to sit at the National Industrial Court premises in Ado Ekiti.
Political attention remains fixed on what observers describe as a three-way contest involving incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the APC, Dr Wole Oluyede of the PDP and Dare Bejide of the ADC.
In a statewide broadcast on Wednesday, Governor Oyebanji defended his administration’s record and appealed to voters to renew his mandate for another four years.
“As we approach the polls, I want to humbly request that you renew the Shared Prosperity Mandate you gave us four years ago by another four years,” he said.
He urged political actors, election observers and security agencies to uphold professionalism and sustain the peaceful atmosphere that has characterised the campaign period.
With sensitive materials moving into place, security personnel deployed and final logistics being concluded, attention now shifts to Saturday’s poll in a contest expected to shape political calculations ahead of 2027.
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