The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election was conducted peacefully, transparently, and credibly, describing it as another successful off-cycle poll.
The commission noted that the election, alongside six legislative by-elections held on the same day, benefited from improved logistics, early deployment of personnel and materials, efficient use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), timely opening of polling units, and prompt upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Responding to allegations of vote-buying and voter intimidation raised by opposition parties, INEC condemned vote trading and described it as a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy. The commission, however, explained that while it has the legal authority to prosecute electoral offenders, it depends on security agencies to arrest and investigate suspects.
INEC also dismissed claims that Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were transferred to non-indigenes to influence the election, stressing that the BVAS technology prevents impersonation by requiring biometric verification before any voter can be accredited.
On political party primaries, the commission maintained that parties conducting primaries outside the timelines contained in its official election timetable risk having their candidates rejected, insisting that electoral deadlines are binding and cannot be altered.
Addressing reports of a data breach involving the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) portal, INEC clarified that there was no external hacking of its database. It explained that the incident involved the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by a staff member, who has since been handed over to security agencies, while investigations into the matter continue.
The commission also expressed concern over the growing number of internal disputes within political parties, saying such conflicts generate unnecessary litigation and distract from the electoral process. It urged political parties to strengthen internal democracy and resolve disputes through dialogue instead of prolonged court battles.
INEC further criticised the practice of seeking conflicting court orders from different courts, describing it as harmful to electoral stability and commending the National Judicial Council for taking disciplinary action against judicial officers involved in such cases.
Looking ahead, the commission said preparations for the Osun State governorship election and the 2027 general election are already underway. It added that lessons learned from previous elections are being used to improve logistics, technology, staff training, and voter education.
INEC also reassured Nigerians that measures have been put in place to safeguard the credibility of future elections, emphasizing that technologies such as BVAS and the IReV portal will continue to strengthen transparency and ensure that election results accurately reflect votes cast.
