Ekiti Poll: Police warn against unofficial results, situation room flags flashpoints

•INEC distributes sensitive materials assures of credible exercises •Police map 460 flash-points in Ekiti, vow iron-fist on riggers, violence

•APC has failed Ekiti—Mark, Aregbesola, back ADC candidate“

By Clifford Ndujihe, Dayo Johnson, Rotimi Ojomoyela, Dennis Agbo, Davies Iheamnachor, Haruna Aliyu, Edwin Philip & Hadiza Yusuf

WITH conclusion of campaigns by parties and candidates, and distribution of sensitive election materials by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the stage is set for tomorrow’s off-cycle governorship poll in Ekiti State; four senatorial, one House of Representatives and one state assembly polls across six states.

The Senatorial polls will be held in Enugu, Ondo, Nasarawa and Rivers states while the House of Representatives and state assembly bye-elections will be held in Kano and Kebbi respectively.

The Police and security agencies have read the riot act to would-be trouble-makers and election riggers and vowed to deal with them mercilessly.

INEC moves sensitive materials

In Ekiti, the electoral commission, yesterday, commenced distribution of sensitive election materials to all the16 local government areas. The exercise started at 1:25a.m. at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN office in Ado-Ekiti, under close guard by the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

Distribution began with councils farthest from the state capital — Ilejemeje, Ayekire, Ido-Osi, Ijero, Ikole, Ekiti East, and Emure.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, assured stakeholders of INEC’s full readiness, urging voters to come out peacefully and perform their civic duty.

“The process is being carried out in a transparent manner in the presence of security agencies, political parties, observers, and other stakeholders,” he said.

Police map 460 flashpoints in Ekiti, vow iron-fist on vote-buying, thuggery

The Commissioner of Police for the Ekiti governorship election, Mr Abayomi Shogunle, declared zero tolerance for vote-buying, political thuggery, and electoral violence ahead of the poll, warning that security agencies would deal decisively with offenders.

460 Flash-points

Shogunle, who spoke at a media engagement organised by the International Press Centre, IPC, in Ado-Ekiti, said no fewer than 460 flashpoints had been identified across the state’s 16 LGAs and that deployments had been scaled up at those locations to prevent breakdown of law and order.

He said the security operation follows a multi-layered framework approved by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, tailored to address specific threats across different parts of the state.

“We have deployed more security personnel to the identified 460 flashpoints. With the security architecture we have on the ground, I am confident that this election will be violence-free,” Shogunle said.

Border surveillance, voter movement restrictions

The CP disclosed that surveillance had been intensified at all entry and exit points into Ekiti, particularly along borders with Kogi and Kwara states. He also announced restrictions on vehicular movement on election day, advising voters to trek to polling units, with only accredited officials on essential duties exempted.

Armed police teams would be stationed at strategic points for rapid response, while all 2,445 polling units and collation centres across the state would be fully protected, he assured.

Vote-buying biggest threat to Ekiti poll — Yiaga Africa

Meanwhile, Civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has identified vote-buying as the single biggest threat to the credibility of Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election, urging security agencies and anti-corruption bodies to take proactive measures against the menace.

Speaking at a pre-election briefing in Ado-Ekiti, the Chair of Yiaga Africa’s Ekiti Election Observation Mission, Dr Aisha Abdullahi, said that while preparations had largely progressed smoothly, vote trading remained capable of undermining the integrity of the process.

Abdullahi expressed concern over lingering security challenges in hotspot local government areas, including Ado-Ekiti, Ikole, Oye, and Ikere, and raised particular alarm over Ilejemeje and Moba, where recent kidnapping incidents could affect the safe movement of voters, officials, and observers — especially after 7p.m.

Media, PWD inclusion

Also, the International Press Centre, IPC, urged journalists covering the election to maintain strict non-partisanship and ensure they were properly accredited and identified to avoid confrontations with security personnel.

In a related development, TAF Africa deployed 150 observers — including persons with disabilities (PWDs) — to monitor inclusive participation across polling units. Assistant Programme Manager George Dominic Anwayi said the deployment was guided by data on polling units where PWDs are registered, and that observers would assess whether INEC’s assistive provisions — including Bra…