The Chairman of INEC, Joash Amupitan, has warned
political parties in Ekiti State to refrain from vote buying and other forms of
electoral inducement ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election.
Amupitan made the warning on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti
during the official publication of the voters’ register and its presentation to
political parties for the election.
He said the publication of the voters’ register is a
crucial constitutional and statutory step toward the governorship poll, adding
that the register’s accuracy, completeness, and integrity are essential for
credible elections.
However, Amupitan stressed that vote trading remains
one of Nigeria’s biggest election challenges. He reminded parties that vote
buying or vote trading is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act, and said
law enforcement agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, and the police are responsible
for arresting and prosecuting offenders.
He urged parties to focus on issue-based campaigns
rather than monetary inducements to voters, adding that INEC will sign the
peace accord the following day and called for a peaceful election run on
issues, not personality.
Earlier, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Bunmi Omosehinmi, said the state INEC office has intensified
preparations for the election through stakeholder engagements, voter education,
security coordination, training of personnel, and deployment of election
technology.
Omosehinmi also said logistics arrangements, including
BVAS deployment, transportation, and distribution of sensitive materials, have
been strengthened to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive election
across the state’s 16 local government areas.
Representatives of parties including the All
Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party, and
African Democratic Congress (ADC) attended the presentation of the voters’
register.
Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking a second term in
office on the platform of the Accord Party.
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