Voting has commenced across Ekiti State as the highly anticipated 2026 gubernatorial election gets underway, with leading candidates making their way to respective polling units to cast their ballots.
The electoral exercise officially kicked off around 8:30 a.m. in the majority of wards across the state. Early field reports from Dataphyte observers indicated that essential election materials and ad hoc staff from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived at numerous polling stations ahead of schedule to prepare for the day’s proceedings.
The high-stakes election is being conducted across all 16 local government areas, spanning 177 registration areas and a total of 2,445 polling units statewide. Despite the early logistical successes, the atmosphere grew tense as several opposition candidates raised serious red flags regarding the integrity of the exercise, pointing to systemic delays in voter accreditation and active voter intimidation.
ADC Candidate Alleges Thug Violence and Financial Inducement
At the Oke Adura Polling Unit in Ekiti South West Local Government, the candidate for the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Dare Bejide, leveled severe accusations of voter harassment and political interference against the ruling party.
Bejide alleged that a prominent government official led a group of thugs to disrupt the peace and manipulate voters at his specific station.
“I came here to vote as required by law. This is my polling booth. In the process, one political office holder, Makinde, came here with a fake policeman, pushed me, beat my driver to a stupor and harassed my security,” Bejide stated fiercely. “They also brought in a large amount of money to share, and I told them that can’t happen here because today is election day… This is not his polling booth, and he has refused to leave.”
While these explosive claims could not be independently verified at the time of this report, indications suggest the candidate was referring to Makinde Araoye (popularly known as MKD), the former Special Adviser on Federal Matters to former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
PDP Standard-Bearer Slams INEC Over Sluggish Accreditation
Echoing the frustrations of the ADC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Wole Oluyede, decried what he termed a deliberately slow voting process at his polling unit located at Osaguru Hall, Unit 6, Ward 3, Ikere-Ekiti.
Oluyede expressed deep skepticism over the technical efficiency of the electoral umpire, warning that the delays could disenfranchise eager citizens.
“The process has been useless. People have been here for about one and a half hours, and only five people in my polling unit have voted; that’s what they do all the time, so I am suspecting that there is something wrong with the INEC process,” Oluyede remarked. “Go down there and see the army of policemen that are harassing people. They are using false vehicles. I taped them; I have evidence, and I will show it when appropriate. This is nonsense.”
The PDP candidate vowed to remain at the polling booth to monitor the situation closely, adding that it is a sad day for Nigerian democracy if a single polling unit can only process five voters per hour.
Governor Oyebanji Commends Seamless Process, Dismisses Subversion Claims
In sharp contrast to the outcry from the opposition, the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, painted a picture of a smooth and credible election.
Speaking with members of the press shortly after casting his vote at Ward 6, Polling Unit 003 in the Okelele area of Ekiti West Local Government, Oyebanji praised INEC’s logistical frameworks and dismissed the grievances of his opponents as standard excuses for looming defeat.
“On INEC’s processes, it was seamless, and I am satisfied with what INEC has put in place for this election. I have not heard of cases of intimidation or inducement, but I understand that people must give reasons for impending failure,” the Governor asserted.
When pressed on how his administration intends to tackle the historical trend of low youth engagement—a concern previously flagged by INEC during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) Oyebanji noted that his government would first investigate the root causes of the apathy. He maintained strong optimism about securing a second term, reiterating his commitment to executing the established 30-year development blueprint for Ekiti State.
High PVC Collection Sparks Optimism for Voter Turnout
Despite the localized friction and complaints, broader indicators suggest a remarkably resilient civic engagement from the populace compared to previous election cycles.
Data shows that over one million voters in Ekiti State successfully collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2026 polls. While the electoral commission has yet to release the official final statistics, independent observers tracking the election have noted a decent and steady turnout of voters across multiple local governments, signaling a heightened public interest in shaping the state’s political future.
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