NPC Warns Against Violence and Vote-Buying Ahead of 2026 Ekiti Governorship Poll
Ahead of the June 20, 2026, governorship election in Ekiti State, the National Peace Commission (NPC) has raised alarms over the twin threats of vote-buying and rising insecurity, urging all stakeholders to commit to a peaceful and credible electoral process.
The commission also called on security agencies to take proactive measures to tackle kidnapping and interpersonal violence, noting that such threats could severely undermine voter participation and the integrity of the polls.
The warning was issued on Friday in Ado Ekiti during a three-day Stakeholders’ Validation Forum organized by the NPC, with funding support from the European Union through the Kukah Centre.
The event gathered a broad spectrum of electoral stakeholders, including security agencies, political actors, civil society groups, faith leaders, traditional rulers, media practitioners, and community representatives.
Speaking at the forum, NPC Project Manager Asabe Ndahi emphasized that conflict prevention is crucial for safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic processes.
“The NPC is committed to working with electoral authorities, security agencies, and community actors to promote dialogue, preventive engagement, and adherence to peace accords before, during, and after elections,” Ndahi stated.
She added that the commission plans to roll out evidence-based interventions, mediation, and peace advocacy programs to ensure the Ekiti election reflects the true will of the people.
NPC Senior Programmes Manager, Esrom Ajanya, highlighted the damaging effects of vote-buying on political accountability. He argued that the commercialization of votes has entrenched patronage politics in Ekiti, weakening policy debates and dampening civic motivation.
“When votes become commodities, policy debates weaken and civic motivation declines. This dynamic is reflected in the trends of turnout,” Ajanya explained.
He pointed out that voter turnout in the state had steadily declined from above 50 percent in the 2014 governorship election to below 37 percent in 2022, attributing this drop to growing distrust in political institutions and economic pressures.
Security Threats Loom Over Election Logistics
The forum also addressed how general insecurity, though not always directly linked to politics, poses a significant threat to the elections.
NPC Monitoring, Evaluation, and Training Officer, Deborah Obafemi, revealed that Ekiti recorded eight security incidents, resulting in two deaths, across six local government areas between August 2025 and January 2026.
While these incidents were not classified as election-related, Obafemi stressed that the recurring patterns of kidnapping and interpersonal violence serve as an “indirect threat to election logistics, turnout confidence, and the willingness of communities and ad-hoc staff to move freely during electoral periods.”
She urged security agencies to adopt deterrence strategies focused on identified hotspots, especially along corridors prone to kidnapping.
Recommendations included increasing visible patrols ahead of the elections and tightening intelligence monitoring around rural travel routes and farming settlements.
Furthermore, Obafemi advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strategically adjust its deployment schedules to minimize exposure to high-risk areas, while fortifying security protocols at collation centers and during the local transport of election materials.
Participants at the forum concluded by stressing the vital roles of responsible political behavior, conflict-sensitive media reporting, and continuous civic education in delivering a peaceful, credible, and inclusive governorship election in Ekiti State.
