The National Peace Committee (NPC) has warned that rising incidents of vote-buying, violence and insecurity could undermine the credibility of the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.
The warning was issued over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti during a three-day Stakeholders’ Validation Forum organised by the NPC through its secretariat, the Kukah Centre.
Speaking at the event, the Centre’s Senior Programme Manager, Esrom Ajanya, said the forum was aimed at promoting peaceful, issue-based electoral processes ahead of the poll.
Ajanya explained that the validation forum, funded by the European Union, was designed to strengthen local ownership of electoral risk assessments and produce practical recommendations to prevent election-related violence.
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According to him, the initiative involves monitoring the electoral environment and assessing security dynamics through an Election Security Information Hub.
He said the hub is intended to provide a comprehensive context analysis of the political situation in Ekiti State, which will guide the NPC’s engagement with stakeholders across the entire electoral value chain.
“As we know, June 20 has been fixed for the governorship election in Ekiti State, and that is why we are here,” Ajanya said. “The process has involved monitoring the electoral space and examining election-related security issues through what we at the Kukah Centre refer to as the Election Security Information Hub.
“We are developing a context analysis of the political environment in Ekiti State to enable the National Peace Committee to engage stakeholders at different levels of the electoral process.
“One key issue emerging from the analysis is the tension between procedural compliance and political substance. While it may be possible to follow the electoral calendar and tick all the boxes set by the electoral management body, it is crucial that the outcomes go beyond procedure and reflect genuine democratic substance.
“This also requires attention to underlying challenges such as insecurity and its potential impact on the elections, as well as the level of grassroots participation. With campaigns already underway, we are assessing both participation levels and the quality of engagement.”
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
