TDAn ad hoc staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ritaro Peace, has described the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election as free, fair, and largely peaceful, citing his firsthand experience during the exercise.
In a post shared after the election, Ritaro said she witnessed no incidents of rigging, violence, intimidation, or disruption throughout the voting process.
According to her, voters moved freely and the election was conducted in an orderly atmosphere.
While acknowledging reports of vote-buying by some political actors, she maintained that the electoral process itself remained transparent.
She noted that INEC implemented measures designed to safeguard the credibility of the election, stressing that vote-selling remains a broader societal issue beyond the commission’s direct control.
Ritaro commended INEC for introducing voter-friendly procedures that made participation easier for registered voters.
She explained that lists containing the names of registered voters were displayed at polling units.
This allowed individuals who did not have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) with them to locate their details and obtain the last six digits of their PVC numbers.
According to him, voters could present the six-digit number at the accreditation point.
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would retrieve and verify their information instantly before they were allowed to vote.
She described the process as a thoughtful innovation that reduced frustration among voters who had misplaced their PVCs or failed to bring them to the polling unit.
The ad hoc official also highlighted the role of BVAS in preventing electoral malpractice.
She explained that the device electronically records the number of accredited voters, making it possible to detect cases of over-voting whenever the number of votes cast exceeds the number of accredited voters.
Peace further noted that political parties and their agents appeared conscious of the consequences of election-related violence, particularly the possibility of cancellation of results in affected polling units.
This, she said, contributed significantly to the peaceful conduct of the election.
Reflecting on the atmosphere at her polling unit, she said supporters and agents of the APC, PDP, and ADC interacted cordially throughout the exercise, despite their political differences.
“Politics should never make enemies out of family members, friends, neighbors, or community members,” she stated.
Ritaro added that the experience reinforced his belief that peaceful elections are achievable when institutions perform their responsibilities effectively and citizens embrace peace over conflict.
She concluded that the conduct of voters, party agents, and election officials during the exercise offers hope for the continued strengthening of democratic culture in Nigeria.
British High Commission Hails Ekiti Election
Similarly, the British High Commission in Nigeria has congratulated APC Governor Biodun Oyebanji on his re-election in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election.
The Commission praised the “mostly peaceful” conduct and orderly delivery by INEC while acknowledging it as the first major test of the Electoral Act 2026.
UK observers specifically noted positive stakeholder collaboration.
They, however, raised concerns over:
- inaccessible polling units for voters with disabilities,
- BVAS technical delays that slowed voting, and,
- instances of vote trading plus party agent interference.
The diplomatic statement has triggered strong backlash online.
Many Nigerians criticized the UK for appearing to legitimize irregularities and lower standards than those applied domestically in Britain.
