INEC seeks traditional rulers’ support for Ekiti governorship election

By Precious Mark

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on traditional rulers in Ekiti State to support efforts towards ensuring a peaceful, credible and successful governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

The appeal was made by Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, during a meeting with the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday as part of the Commission’s stakeholder engagement ahead of the election.

According to a statement by INEC, the Chairman was received by the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, represented by Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole II, who presided over the meeting attended by members of the council.

Speaking during the engagement, Amupitan underscored the importance of traditional institutions in maintaining peace before, during and after elections.

“The critical role of royal fathers in fostering peace and stability before, during and after elections” remains vital, he said, noting that while electoral laws provide the framework for credible elections, “sustainable peace is nurtured within communities.”

The INEC chairman disclosed that the Commission was on its second readiness assessment visit to the state, during which it reviewed logistics, technology and security arrangements ahead of the poll.

He assured the traditional rulers of the Commission’s preparedness for the election and sought their support in preserving peace and protecting the democratic integrity of the state.

Providing an update on preparations, Amupitan said a total of 1,059,360 voters had been registered for the election, including 66,664 new registrants captured during the recent Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

He also revealed that the Automated Biometric Identification System detected and removed 2,103 cases of double registration from the voters’ register.

The INEC chairman further stated that voting would take place across the state’s 16 local government areas, 117 registration areas (wards) and 2,445 polling units.

According to him, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed in all polling units as the sole means of voter accreditation.

He reiterated the Commission’s policy of “No PVC, No Accreditation, No Voting,” urging eligible voters to ensure they possess their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the election.