By our Reporter
Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured stakeholders in Ekiti State that the Commission is fully prepared to conduct a credible, transparent and inclusive governorship election on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
Amupitan gave the assurance on Thursday during the Stakeholders’ Forum on the Ekiti State Governorship Election held in Ado-Ekiti, where he reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every valid vote cast during the election counts.
Addressing representatives of political parties, security agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders, the INEC chairman said all necessary preparations had been concluded to guarantee a successful electoral process.
He disclosed that a total of 1,059,360 registered voters are expected to participate in the election across the state’s 16 local government areas, 117 registration areas (wards) and 2,445 polling units.
According to him, the voter register includes 66,664 new registrants captured during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, while 2,103 invalid registrations were successfully removed through the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
Amupitan stated that logistics arrangements were at an advanced stage, with plans in place to ensure the simultaneous opening of all polling units by 8:30 a.m. on election day. He added that election materials were ready, ad hoc personnel had been trained, and deployment plans were being implemented in accordance with the Commission’s timetable.
The INEC chairman reaffirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be used for voter accreditation, while polling unit results would be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to enhance transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.
He also highlighted measures introduced to ensure inclusivity, including the provision of Braille ballot guides and magnifying glasses to assist voters with visual impairments and persons living with albinism.
On election security, Amupitan said the Commission was working closely with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and other security agencies to guarantee a peaceful electoral environment before, during and after the poll.
He further disclosed that INEC was collaborating with anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to combat vote-buying and other electoral offences.
The chairman also announced that the Commission had accredited 91 media organisations with 675 journalists for election coverage, alongside 98 observer groups made up of 96 domestic and two international organisations.
Amupitan noted that, in addition to the Ekiti governorship election, INEC would conduct six legislative bye-elections in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers, Ondo, Kano and Kebbi states on the same day.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Ekiti State Chapter, Adeniji Akinropo Philip, commended INEC for its level of preparedness and urged political actors to ensure a level playing field throughout the electoral process.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Michael Falade, assured residents and stakeholders of adequate security coverage, urging citizens to remain peaceful and cooperate with security agencies.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ekiti State briefed stakeholders on the Commission’s preparations, revealing that non-sensitive election materials had already been received, while arrangements for the deployment of sensitive materials and final training of personnel were ongoing.
The forum provided an opportunity for stakeholders to assess INEC’s readiness, discuss emerging issues and reaffirm their collective commitment to a peaceful, credible and inclusive governorship election in Ekiti State.
The election is expected to be a major test of Nigeria’s electoral process, with INEC insisting that every valid vote cast on June 20 will count.
