By Omoyeni Ojeifo
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has reported that the Ekiti State governorship election, the first off-cycle poll conducted after recent electoral reforms, was largely peaceful but marked by voter apathy, electoral inconsistencies, and procedural concerns.
Persecondnews correspondent reports that Situation Room presented its final assessment during a press briefing held on Monday, June 22, 2026, in Abuja, on the election conducted on Saturday, June 20, 2026, across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
Situation Room said the briefing provided an independent review of the electoral process, highlighting both improvements under recent reforms and continuing operational challenges.
It said out of 1,028,929 registered voters who collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), only 384,940 were accredited, while 382,109 votes were cast, representing a voter turnout of about 37.1 per cent.
“This represents a voter turnout of approximately 37.1 per cent, continuing the trend of low participation in off-cycle governorship elections in Nigeria,” Situation Room said, noting that reforms had not yet translated into improved civic engagement.
“Despite over one million registered voters and a 97.1 per cent PVC collection rate, only about one-third of eligible voters participated in the election,” it added, raising concerns over public confidence in the electoral process.
On electoral integrity, the group flagged inconsistencies in political party documentation and described the mismatch as capable of creating voter confusion.
“INEC earlier announced 14 political parties, but ballot papers reflected 19 political parties while result sheets reflected 15 political parties. Such discrepancies undermine clarity in the voting process.”
It also flagged incidents of procedural breaches, including reports that individuals without voter cards were reportedly allowed to vote upon verification of their names on the register.
“A senior government official reportedly directed that all registered voters, including those absent, should be allowed to vote.”
On election technology, Situation Room said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System functioned satisfactorily in most observed locations, but isolated incidents of technical difficulties were recorded in some areas.
“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned in most polling units but recorded isolated failures, particularly in facial recognition authentication affecting elderly voters, leading to delays in parts of Ado-Ekiti, Oye, and Ise/Orun LGAs.”
The Situation Room added that result transmission through the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) commenced at about 4:30pm, with over 85 per cent of polling unit results uploaded by the evening of election day, describing it as a relatively steady but monitored process.
On accessibility, Situation Room noted that serious accessibility gaps affected persons with disabilities and elderly voters in several locations.
“Polling units in some areas were located in inaccessible buildings and lacked adequate disability-friendly arrangements.”
It also raised concerns over alleged voter inducement in some polling locations, delayed opening of polls in some areas, and inconsistent adherence to electoral procedures.
Looking ahead, Situation Room said the election highlighted urgent reforms needed to restore confidence in the process.
“The persistence of low voter turnout despite extensive voter education efforts requires urgent attention from INEC, political actors, and civil society organisations.”
Persecondnews reports that the group, in its recommendations, urged stakeholders to deepen reforms, noting that electoral integrity depends on enforcement, transparency, and public trust.
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