Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan on Friday, said that the Ekiti and Osun off cycle governorship elections will be a litmus test and a mirror for the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a meeting of the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Ado Ekiti, Prof Amupitan warned against the spread of misinformation and misinformation with the aim of creating panic before, during and after the elections.

He told the Security agents to beware of those who might be out to frustrate the conduct of the elections, adding that “we must all make conscious efforts to ensure that this country works”.

Prof Amupitan said that steering the preparations for the upcoming off-cycle election represents a continuous commitment of the commission, while assuring that the commission will deliver a free, fair, and credible election that genuinely reflects the choices of the people of Ekiti State.

He stressed that following a series of comprehensive readiness assessments conducted across selected Local Government Areas of the state, the Commission is confident in its operational trajectory.

He said “We are currently configurating the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to guarantee optimal performance on Election Day. Our ad-hoc staff recruitment via the INECPRES portal has also progressed systematically, ensuring that we are fully prepared for large-scale, professional deployment across all designated polling units.

“To guarantee that no eligible citizen is left behind, the Commission will soon deliver the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the first and second phase CVR across the 177 Registration Areas (Wards) in Ekiti State. Our mandate is to conduct an inclusive and transparent election, and we are determined that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised due to administrative bottlenecks.

“I call upon all community leaders, civil society organisations, and political actors to actively assist us in mobilising the electorate to collect their cards at the designated centers before the conclusion of the exercise”

He stressed that security agencies remain the bedrock of the commission’s field operations; adding without a safe and secure environment, the complex logistics of an election cannot succeed.

He said “during our preliminary field assessments here in Ekiti, security chiefs provided reassuring updates on comprehensive personnel deployments, visibility patrols, and the tactical mapping of potential flashpoints.

“Representatives of the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and the military have collectively guaranteed a robust security presence before, during, and after the election. Given the unique, hilly terrain of Ekiti State, seamless synergy among all security arms is non-negotiable.

“On our part, we have finalised land logistics arrangements with the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to secure the required vehicle fleets for the timely movement of personnel and sensitive materials.

“We have also carried out a comprehensive risk analysis of all the LGAs in Ekiti State, including the Ras and we have identified and marked out some risk-prone areas. Such risk-prone LGAs include Ado Ekiti (Thuggery/Cultism/ballot snatching), Effon (Thuggery), Ekiti East (vandalism), Ekiti South West (Thuggery), Emure (kidnapping), Ikere (Thuggery), Ikole (kidnapping/Thuggery), Ilejemeje (kidnapping/Thuggery), Irepodun/Ifelodun (Cultism/ballot snatching), Moba (kidnapping/Thuggery) and Oye (kidnapping/Thuggery).

“We have also identified and tabulated for your guidance all the polling units (469 in number) within 500 meters of the risk location.

“We must build on our recent institutional benchmarks. The coordination during the November 2025 Governorship Election in Anambra State demonstrated that proactive planning and inter-agency collaboration significantly eliminated operational delays and ensured the early commencement of polls.

“The Ekiti election must aim for an even higher standard of administrative and security efficiency. I charge every officer and commander present today to ensure that the principles of absolute neutrality, vigilance, and promptness are maintained down to the smallest voting point.

“Let me also issue a stern warning regarding the menace of voter inducement. Any attempt to disrupt the level playing field through vote buying before or during the election must be aggressively resisted and neutralised.

“The Commission is working in close collaboration with anti-graft agencies, specifically the EFCC and ICPC, to apprehend offenders.

“Deployed security personnel must remain vigilant on the field and ensure they do not permit an environment where illegal financial transactions contaminate the voting process. Our joint duty is to protect the sanctity of the ballot box and defend democratic values.”

He commended members of ICCES for their enduring partnership and commitment to the nation’s democratic growth, saying “If we remain unified in purpose and resolute in our enforcement of the law, I have no doubt that the Ekiti State Governorship election will be a resounding success”.

Commissioner or Police in Ekiti state, Falade Micheal assured that security agencies would give maximum protection to the citizens before, during and after the election and would work to protect the commission staff and property.

He disclosed that the Police is currently providing security cover for all INEC offices across the state, but was quick to point out that flash points identified across the state are mainly in border areas.

The police chief said the major concern is the issue of misinformation and fake news which he said are capable of creating tension and fear in the minds of the people.

He said the National Orientation Agency should be mobilised to carry out series of sensitisation ahead of the election, assuring of a hitch free governorship election.

Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti state, Bunmi Omoseyindemi said the meeting was timely and strategic considering the critical importance of election security and intelligence collaboration in the successful conduct of credible and inclusive elections.

He said the ICCES framework has continued to provide a strong platform for coordination, intelligence sharing and professionalism among the security agencies and the commission.

He disclosed that the Commission in the State has continued to intensify it’s preparations through stakeholders’ agreements, assessment of rights and human rights, and cohesion centres, mutual engagement and sensitisation, review of logistic arrangements, training of election personnel, and continuous cooperation with political parties leaders, traditional rulers, civil society, and the media.

He stressed that despite the progress recorded, there are still some critical challenges that require related attention and political action, including the threat of hold-back and activities of political threats.

He said “the spread of disinformation and fake news can be good for creating tension and distrust among the people while also expressing concern about the role of political actors in encouraging violence hence the need for improved protection of electoral personnel and facilities before, during, and after the election.

He also expressed concern about transportation and logistics challenges which he said may affect timely deployment of the election plan, as well as voter apathy as a result of lack of confidence in the electoral process through misinformation and malinformation. (The Nation)