Ekiti REC Seeks Stakeholders’ Support for Credible 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its readiness for the 2027 general elections in Ekiti State, urging stakeholders to collaborate towards ensuring a peaceful, transparent and credible electoral process.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, made the call on Saturday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti to review the commission’s level of preparation for the elections.

He described INEC’s preparations as deliberate, comprehensive and proactive, stressing that the success of the exercise depended on the collective responsibility of political parties, security agencies, the media and citizens.

Omoseyindemi urged political parties to conduct their activities within the provisions of the law, security agencies to remain professional and impartial, and the media to uphold accuracy and responsible reporting.

He also called on citizens to participate peacefully, noting that electoral credibility was built through adequate preparation, effective collaboration and public confidence long before election day.

The REC reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent elections, guided by the principles of impartiality, accountability and professionalism.

On security, he said INEC would work through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to identify potential threats, assess risks and develop appropriate responses.

He listed political violence, thuggery, vote buying, intimidation, hate speech, misinformation and disinformation among activities capable of undermining the electoral process.

He urged security agencies to strengthen cooperation with the commission through intelligence gathering, early warning systems, preventive measures and prompt responses to emerging threats.

Omoseyindemi also said INEC was working to ensure that eligible voters could update their records and collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the elections.

He added that the commission was strengthening the capacity of its permanent and ad-hoc personnel through training and retraining to ensure that election officials understood their responsibilities and complied with established guidelines.

On logistics, he disclosed that INEC was reviewing its requirements, including vehicles, motorcycles, generators, communication facilities, election materials, storage arrangements and personnel deployment across the state's 16 local government areas and 177 registration areas.

He said the review was aimed at identifying operational gaps early and developing solutions to ensure the timely deployment of personnel and materials on election day.

The REC further stated that the commission would continue to improve its personnel's capacity to deploy and operate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other approved technological applications.

The meeting was attended by representatives of political parties, security agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, youth and women's groups, development partners and other stakeholders.