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Fourteen political parties are contesting Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election as voters across the 16 local government areas prepare to decide who will lead the state for the next four years.
The election is being held across 2,445 polling units, with 1,059,360 registered voters eligible to participate.
The contest will determine whether incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secures a second term or a new governor emerges.
Oyebanji, who won the 2022 governorship election with 187,057 votes, is seeking another four-year term with his deputy, Monisade Afuye, as his running mate. He defeated Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the previous election.
The governor faces challengers from 13 other parties, including African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Ambassador Dare Bejide, a former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government and former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, who is positioning himself as an alternative to the APC and PDP.
The PDP candidate, Wole Oluyede, from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District, is also seeking to revive the party’s fortunes in the state after years of declining influence.
Other candidates on the ballot include Akande Oluwasegun Samuel of the African Action Congress (AAC), Opeyemi Falegan of Accord, Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Bidemi Olaiya Awogbemi of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Oyebanji Ikusayedegbe Olajuyin of the Labour Party (LP), Abegunde Ayobami Blessing of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olaniyi Olanrewaju Ayodele of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Owoola Daramola of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Victor Damilola Adetunji of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials from Registration Area Centres (RACs) to polling units across the state.
The commission said the materials have been delivered to relevant locations ahead of voting, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.
INEC also assured voters of the readiness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the exercise.
Security agencies have deployed personnel and operational equipment across the state, including border communities and other strategic locations, to ensure a peaceful and orderly election.
The state government has also announced restrictions on vehicular movement from midnight until 6:00 p.m. today as part of measures to support the smooth conduct of the poll.
Civil society organisations monitoring the election have urged voters and political actors to remain peaceful and uphold the credibility of the democratic process.
The Ekiti governorship election is among several off-cycle elections taking place today, alongside senatorial by-elections in Enugu, Rivers, Ondo and Nasarawa, as well as House of Representatives and State Assembly by-elections in Kano and Kebbi states.
