Ekiti Poll: Over 1.05 Million Voters Registered as INEC Raises Alarm Over Vote Buying

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned security agencies against sparing anyone involved in vote buying or vote trading during next month’s governorship election in Ekiti State.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, gave the warning while presenting the register of voters to political parties in Ekiti State. He noted that vote buying remains one of the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s electoral process.
According to him, about 1,059,360 eligible voters are expected to participate in the Ekiti governorship election. He urged political parties to carefully scrutinise the voters’ register and submit any observations within the time allowed by law.
Professor Amupitan stressed that vote buying is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act, adding that law enforcement agencies, particularly the EFCC, ICPC and the Police, must ensure offenders are arrested and prosecuted promptly.

He described the presentation of the voter register as a constitutional responsibility of INEC.
“The Electoral Act requires that 30 days before the election, the register of voters must be published and presented to political parties. So, it is with a great sense of responsibility and commitment that I stand before you today. This moment signifies a crucial step in reinforcing the integrity, transparency and credibility of our electoral process,” he said.
He further explained that the voters’ register remains the foundation for free, fair and credible elections, noting that its accuracy, completeness and integrity are vital in ensuring every eligible voter’s voice counts and that the will of the people is properly reflected.
“I want to assure you that we have satisfied all the provisions in Section 9 of the Electoral Act by updating and including the newly registered voters together with the previous records. In the 2023 election, we had about 900,000 registered voters in Ekiti State.
“But as a result of the continuous voter registration exercise, the number has increased to about 1,059,660, representing an addition of about 66,000 new voters,” he added.
Professor Amupitan also encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers on election day, stating that voter education remains part of INEC’s responsibility, while political parties must mobilise their supporters to participate in the election.
“Our collective commitment to transparency, trust and adherence to democratic principles will determine the success of this election,” he stated.
In his remarks, the National Commissioner supervising Ekiti State, Sam Olumekun, informed the INEC Chairman that Ekiti has consistently remained one of the states where election results are announced peacefully without rancour or acrimony.
Olumekun said the presentation of the voters’ register to political parties reflects the Commission’s commitment to producing a register that is accurate, credible and inclusive in line with the legal framework guiding its activities.
“The publication and presentation of this register is not a mere formality. It provides political parties, accredited observers and citizens of Ekiti State the opportunity to inspect, verify and raise objections within the window provided by law,” he said.