Adebayo Adenrele
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, has warned political parties participating in the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election to refrain from vote buying and other forms of electoral inducement, describing the practice as a major threat to Nigeria’s democratic process.
Amupitan gave the warning on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti during the official publication of the voters’ register and presentation to political parties for the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The INEC chairman said vote trading remained one of the biggest challenges confronting elections in Nigeria, urging parties and their supporters to avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.
He stressed that political parties must demonstrate commitment to democratic values by conducting issue-based campaigns and avoiding monetary inducement of voters.
According to him, campaigns should focus on issues rather than personal attacks or divisive rhetoric, adding that the commission remained committed to conducting a free, fair and transparent election in the state.
The INEC Boss noted that the publication of the voters’ register marked a critical constitutional and statutory step toward the governorship poll, revealing that the voters’ register in Ekiti had increased from about 900,000 recorded during the 2023 elections to 1,059,360 voters in 2026, following the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
Amupitan explained that although over 68,000 fresh registrations were initially recorded, more than 2,000 cases of double registration were detected and removed through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to ensure the credibility of the register.
The INEC chairman assured residents that votes cast during the election would count, saying technological innovations and timely electronic transmission of results have significantly improved electoral credibility and reduced disputes.
He called on eligible voters to come out en masse on election day, while charging political parties with the responsibility of mobilising supporters peacefully.
His words, “One of the major challenges and constraints to our electoral process is the issue of vote buying or vote trading. This is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act, and it is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies, especially the EFCC, ICPC and the police, to ensure that those involved are arrested and promptly prosecuted.
“We urge all political parties to refrain from vote trading because it is a big minus to the electoral process in Nigeria.
“We shall be signing the peace accord tomorrow. The election must be run peacefully and campaigns must be based on issues and not on personality. Let us walk the talk.
“The voters’ register is the foundation upon which free, fair and credible elections are built. Its accuracy, completeness and integrity are paramount to ensuring that every eligible voter’s voice is heard”.
Earlier, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Bunmi Omosehindemi said the state office of the commission had intensified preparations for the governorship election through stakeholder engagements, voter education campaigns, security coordination, training of personnel and deployment of election technology.
The REC noted that arrangements for logistics, BVAS deployment, transportation and distribution of sensitive materials had also been strengthened to ensure a peaceful, transparent and inclusive election across the state’s 16 local government areas.
He appealed to political parties, candidates and supporters to conduct themselves responsibly and comply strictly with the Electoral Act and guidelines issued by the commission.
Present at the presentation of voters’ register were representatives of All Progressive Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), among others.
