The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has raised serious concerns about widespread vote-buying, inconsistencies in sensitive election materials, and malfunctioning voter accreditation devices during Saturday's Ekiti State governorship election. In a preliminary assessment released on Saturday, the organization noted that while the election was generally peaceful with early deployment of officials and materials, several operational shortcomings could undermine public confidence.
Voter turnout and enthusiasm
According to CDD, voter enthusiasm was evident in many locations, but turnout appeared lower than expected relative to registered voters. The group deployed accredited observers across Ekiti State through its Election Analysis Centre (EAC) to monitor logistics, accreditation, voting, security, and compliance with electoral guidelines.
Inconsistencies in ballot papers and result sheets
A major concern highlighted by CDD was the discrepancy between ballot papers and Form EC8A result sheets. Ballot papers listed 19 political parties, while result sheets listed only 15 parties, despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognizing 14 candidates. Observers also reported an incident in Ilawe-Ekiti where election officials initially issued unstamped and unsigned ballot papers, later corrected after intervention by an INEC supervisor from Abuja.
BVAS malfunctions disrupt accreditation
Several cases of malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices were documented, temporarily disrupting accreditation and voting in parts of Ado-Ekiti and Oye Local Government Areas. CDD called on INEC to explain these discrepancies and improve device reliability.
Security and procedural violations
Despite heavy security deployment, the election remained largely peaceful with no widespread reports of intimidation or violence. However, CDD noted procedural violations involving party agents, including interference in voting, improper assistance to voters, and disputes between rival representatives.
Vote-buying and inducement
CDD documented multiple incidents of vote-buying and voter inducement by agents of major political parties. In some locations, voters were allegedly paid N10,000 after casting their ballots, while tally slips were used to facilitate post-voting payments. The organization expressed concern over the apparent absence of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials at many polling units, despite the agency's role in tackling electoral bribery.
Misinformation and disinformation
CDD's fact-checking team debunked claims that a fire incident at a police station in Isan-Ekiti was election-related, finding it stemmed from a dispute linked to a local football match. The group also identified an unusual discrepancy during vote counting in Ado-Ekiti, where votes counted exceeded the number of voters accredited by BVAS. Election officials later discovered duplicate ballot paper serial numbers and a ballot paper without a serial number.
Commendation and recommendations
Despite the concerns, CDD commended voters, election officials, and security agencies for maintaining a peaceful environment. It urged INEC to explain the discrepancies and called on security and anti-corruption bodies to intensify efforts against vote trading ahead of future elections, including the Osun governorship election and the 2027 general election. The statement was signed by CDD-West Africa Director Dauda Garuba and Election Analysis Centre Chair Victor Adetula.
INEC declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner with 319,224 votes, defeating his closest rival, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 40,543 votes. The election was held across all 16 local government areas of Ekiti State.
