INEC Presents Register of 1,059,360 Voters for Ekiti Governorship Election

INEC Presents Register of 1,059,360 Voters for Ekiti Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday intensified preparations for the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election as the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, led National Commissioners on a readiness assessment visit to the state and formally presented the Register of Voters to political parties.

Welcoming the INEC delegation, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, said the visit further demonstrated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring “adequate preparation and successful conduct” of the governorship election.

He disclosed that the Ekiti State office had made “steady progress in all aspects of electoral preparation,” adding that the Commission was collaborating with security agencies, political parties, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and the media to ensure a “peaceful, credible, inclusive and transparent election.”

According to him, the publication and presentation of the Register of Voters was in line with the Electoral Act and INEC’s timetable and schedule of activities.

“This also reflects the commitment of the Commission to transparency, accountability and fairness,” he stated, while urging political parties to make effective and lawful use of the register in preparation for the election.

The REC listed measures already put in place by the Commission to include assessment and validation of Registration Area Centres (RACs), Super RACs and polling units across the state; intensified engagements with security agencies through Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meetings; training and retraining of electoral officers and assistant electoral officers; and expanded voter education campaigns across the 16 local government areas.

He further revealed that logistics deployment had been reviewed and strengthened, while inspection and regeneration checks on election technology, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), were ongoing.

Omoseyindemi said some critical activities still being finalised included the recruitment and training of ad hoc staff, final testing and deployment of BVAS machines, continued voter education and sensitisation, final coordination meetings with security agencies and transport providers, as well as contingency planning to address operational challenges on election day.

“As we move closer to election day, I wish to appeal to all political parties, candidates and their supporters to continue to conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly,” he said.

He stressed that the success of the election would depend on collective commitment to democratic values, peaceful engagement and strict compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.

“Ekiti State is known for political maturity and democratic participation and we must all work together to sustain that reputation before, during and after the election,” he added.

In his opening remarks, the Supervising National Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumekun, noted that Ekiti State had consistently distinguished itself in previous elections.

“In the last four election cycles, Ekiti State has always been the very first state to announce results of elections and there has been no acrimony whatsoever,” he said.

Olumekun explained that the voters register being presented was a product of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and subsequent claims, objections and data cleaning processes aimed at removing duplicates, ineligible and deceased registrants.

He assured stakeholders that INEC remained committed to neutrality, transparency and adherence to all legal provisions.

“No eligible voter has been disenfranchised and no ineligible name will be allowed on the voter register,” he declared.

Speaking at the event, INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan, described the occasion as “very unique and important” for the Commission.

He said it was a rare privilege for Ekiti State to host the INEC Chairman alongside almost all National Commissioners for the publication and presentation of the voters register.

“The Electoral Act requires that 30 days before the election, the register of voters must be published and presented to political parties,” he said.

The INEC Chairman disclosed that out of nine major activities contained in the election timetable released last year, seven had already been successfully completed, while campaigns would officially end on June 18 before the election on June 20.

Amupitan described the voters register as “the foundation upon which free, fair and credible elections are built,” stressing that its accuracy and integrity were critical to ensuring that every eligible voter’s voice was heard.

He revealed that the voter register was compiled after “rigorous data collection, total verification and diligent cleaning exercises.”

According to him, the number of registered voters in Ekiti State increased significantly following the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

we had about 900,000 registered voters in Ekiti State, but as a result of the Continuous Voter Registration, the number has increased to about 1,059,360,” he disclosed.

“We would like to have a credible and reliable register,” he said.

“It is the responsibility of INEC to conduct free, credible and transparent elections, but INEC cannot do it alone. It is a shared responsibility,” he stated.

The Chairman also charged political parties to mobilise voters to participate in the election, assuring residents that their votes would count.

“I want to assure you that your vote will count,” he reiterated, citing previous elections where results were transmitted promptly through the Result Viewing Portal.

Amupitan also raised concerns over vote buying and vote trading, describing them as major threats to Nigeria’s electoral process.

“This is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act,” he warned, adding that agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC and the Police must ensure offenders are arrested and prosecuted.

The Director of Voter Registry, Olatunde G. Olalere, while presenting an analysis of the register, confirmed that newly registered voters had been integrated with the existing register used for the 2023 General Election.

He announced that the total number of registered voters for the 2026 Ekiti Governorship Election stood at 1,059,360.

Also speaking, the Director of ICT, Dr. Lawrence Bayode, highlighted technological innovations to be deployed for the election.

According to him, the deployment of BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) represented “a significant step in advancing election transparency and credibility,” building on previous successes in curbing voter fraud and impersonation.

At the climax of the event, copies of the Register of Voters were formally presented to political parties participating in the governorship election by the INEC Chairman.

Following the stakeholders’ session, Prof. Amupitan also met with INEC staff in the state, where he commended them for their efforts and charged them to intensify preparations for the poll.

“The reward of hard work is more work,” he told the staff, while emphasising the need for unity among officials across the 16 local government areas.

He directed that RAC centres must be activated 24 hours before the election and stressed the importance of timely logistics deployment and security for both personnel and election materials.

“We will do everything possible for the successful conduct of the election,” he assured.

The Chairman also spoke on staff welfare, revealing that efforts were ongoing to improve salary structures and working conditions for INEC personnel.