The British High Commission in Nigeria has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for the “peaceful conduct” of the governorship election in Ekiti state.
In a statement on Monday, the commission also expressed
concerns over vote trading and delays caused by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation
System (BVAS).
INEC declared Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) winner of the election, noting that the incumbent polled 319,224
votes to defeat Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who garnered
40,543 votes, and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who
scored 12,872 votes.
However, allegations of vote-buying and voter suppression in
some polling units dominated headlines afterwards.
There were also technical glitches, with the BVAS device
reportedly failing to capture some elderly voters and causing delays in certain
polling units.
The British commission congratulated voters in the state for
participating in the election and exercising their democratic rights.
It also congratulated Oyebanji on his re-election.
The commission noted that the poll was the first major
election conducted under the Electoral Act 2026 and its accompanying
guidelines.
According to the commission, its observers met with key
stakeholders, including police and INEC officials, before the election to
understand how the law was being implemented.
“On the day of the election, our observers witnessed
positive collaboration between INEC officials and security agencies, which
played an important role in ensuring voting was mostly peaceful,” the statement
reads.
“While our team noted the prioritisation of vulnerable
voters at several polling units, which is commendable, the physical location
and set-up of most polling units visited were inaccessible to voters with
disabilities.
“Our observers also noted delays to the Bimodal Voter
Accreditation System (BVAS) at some polling units, which slowed down voting.
Technical issues risk undermining voter confidence in electoral systems and can
discourage turnout.”
The commission further raised concerns about vote-buying and
interference by party agents during the election.
“Our observation team was concerned to see instances of vote
trading and interference by party agents at polling units visited. Vote trading
erodes public confidence and undermines the democratic process. We call on all
actors to take urgent steps to address this corrosive practice,” the UK added.
The commission urged stakeholders to apply lessons from the
Ekiti election ahead of the forthcoming governorship poll in Osun state.
It added that the credibility of the 2027 general election
would be crucial to public confidence in democratic institutions and Nigeria’s
leadership role in Africa.
The UK said it remains committed to working with the
Nigerian government and civil society to strengthen democratic institutions,
promote credible electoral processes, and support efforts aimed at building a
more inclusive and accountable system.
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