The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a coordinated security and enforcement arrangement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to arrest and prosecute individuals involved in vote buying ahead of the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.
Chairman of INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Thursday during a strategic meeting with the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers in Ado-Ekiti.
He said the collaboration with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission was part of efforts to deter electoral malpractice and ensure credible polls.
According to him, security agencies will move against “financial agents” attempting to induce voters around polling units, warning that such actions undermine democratic choice.
“The Commission is working in strict alignment with the EFCC and the ICPC to arrest and prosecute financial agents attempting to buy votes around our polling units,” he said.
Amupitan urged traditional rulers to intensify civic education within their domains, warning that vote selling amounts to “an abdication of future development and a betrayal of the land.”
He stressed that INEC has no preferred candidate in the election, insisting that the commission remains neutral and guided strictly by the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“As the Chairman of this Commission, I give you my solemn pledge: INEC has no candidate in this election. We are completely independent, neutral, and dispassionate,” he said.
He added that the commission’s only mandate is to reflect the “true will of the Ekiti people” at the polls.
Amupitan also noted that INEC will be conducting legislative bye-elections in six other states on the same day, but assured that adequate attention and logistics have been deployed to ensure a smooth process in Ekiti.
He said the Ekiti election is expected to serve as a benchmark for improved electoral administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a related development, the INEC Chairman approved an extension of the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ekiti State until Sunday, giving eligible voters additional time to obtain their cards ahead of the election.
He urged residents to take advantage of the extension and participate fully in the electoral process, while calling for calm and cooperation among political actors.
Responding, the Acting Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and Ajero of Ijero, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, urged INEC to consider creating additional electoral wards and polling units in the state, citing population growth over the past three decades.
He also advocated for an increase in federal constituencies in Ekiti to at least nine, noting that electoral structures should reflect current demographic realities.
The monarch further called on INEC to use the Ekiti governorship election as a model for violence-free elections, expressing confidence in improved electoral conduct in the state.