Ekiti poll: Sensitive election materials leave CBN under tight security

Preparations for Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State entered a crucial phase on Thursday as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Ado Ekiti.

The exercise marks a major step in the commission’s readiness for the governorship election as well as the senatorial and House of Representatives by-elections scheduled to hold across the state on June 20, 2026.

Officials of INEC were observed sorting, packaging and dispatching sensitive materials under tight security arrangements before transporting them to the state’s 16 local government areas.

The CBN premises in Ado Ekiti witnessed heightened activity throughout the day as electoral officers coordinated logistics and supervised the movement of election materials.

Security agencies also maintained a strong presence at the facility, with police personnel being deployed to strategic locations across the state to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process.

Speaking during the distribution exercise, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, expressed satisfaction with the process, describing it as smooth and hitch-free.

He assured political parties, election observers and other stakeholders that all sensitive materials would be delivered to their designated destinations ahead of the commencement of voting on Saturday.

According to him, the commission has put in place adequate arrangements to guarantee the timely deployment of materials and personnel to all polling units across the state.

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Meanwhile, INEC disclosed that the number of registered voters in Ekiti State has surpassed the one-million mark ahead of the governorship election.

Data released by the electoral body showed that registered voters increased from 987,647 recorded during the 2023 election cycle to 1,059,360 for the 2026 governorship poll.

The commission also reported a substantial increase in the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected by eligible voters.

In a statement issued by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, the commission revealed that PVC collection rose from 958,052 in 2023 to 1,028,929 ahead of the election.

According to the commission, the figure translates to a collection rate of 97 per cent and represents 97.1 per cent of all registered voters in the state.

INEC noted that the high collection rate reflects increased voter interest and participation in the electoral process.

The announcement followed the successful conclusion of the PVC collection exercise across the state.

The exercise, which was initially scheduled to end on June 11, was extended by three days to June 14 after consultations with political parties and key stakeholders during a meeting held in Ado Ekiti.

The extension, according to INEC, was designed to give more eligible voters the opportunity to obtain their cards before the election.

The commission also provided an update on requests for replacement voter cards.

INEC explained that under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, voters whose PVCs were lost, damaged or defaced were entitled to apply for replacements within the stipulated period.

The commission disclosed that it received 14,406 applications for replacement cards and successfully produced all requested PVCs, with most applicants already collecting their new cards.

However, INEC stated that plans to introduce downloadable digital replacement voter cards would not be implemented for the Ekiti governorship election due to incomplete technological infrastructure.

“The option of a downloadable copy of the lost, damaged, or defaced Voter Cards could not be implemented in this election because the necessary technology infrastructure for this is yet to be completed,” the commission said.

INEC added that the innovation is expected to be introduced in future elections, including the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 2026 and the 2027 general elections.

With sensitive materials already being distributed, security deployments underway and voter card collection completed, attention now shifts to Saturday’s poll as political parties and voters prepare for what is expected to be a closely watched governorship contest in Ekiti State.