![Ekiti state on map. [Photo credit: Wikipedia]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2017/12/Nigeria_-_Ekiti.svg_-e1514118425834.png?fit=1000%2C769&ssl=1)
As part of efforts to promote peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections ahead of the 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election, the National Peace Committee (NPC), through its Secretariat, The Kukah Centre, on Friday held a stakeholder engagement on the conduct of a free and credible election.
Those present at the event supported by the European Union under its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), held in Ado-Ekiti, included the state consc State Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye, the Residents Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, the representative of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Okeya Olaniyi, the representative of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Riko Abudulahi.
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Others included the Deputy Commandant of NSCDC Felix Olowodejeje, the representative of the Nigeria Army, Josiah Dimka, a lieutenant colonel, the representative of the FRSC, NIA, SSS among others.
Speaking during her presentation on the peace accord, the Project Manager, the Kukah Centre, Asabe Ndahi, said
the engagement was designed to deepen understanding of the Peace Accord, strengthen stakeholder ownership, encourage accountability, and promote collective responsibility for peaceful electoral conduct before, during, and after the 20 June election.
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“These are members of the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security. They came to speak and discuss, just as we present the contents of the peace accord with them.
“Now, they are not the ones who usually sign the peace accord. The peace accord is for the politicians, that’s the candidates of the parties and their chairmen. However, some clauses of the peace accord need to be enforced. And who are those people who enforce the clauses of the peace accord?
“Because we know that the peace accord is a reflection of the process of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and other extant laws such as the criminal code, the entire electoral framework of Nigeria….
“So, we do not know what will take place in Ekiti on the 20th June. But what we know is that we have seen signs and patterns of vote trading in the data that we’ve been gathering. We’ve seen the patterns in other off-cycle elections that we have also been able to observe.
“And so, vote buying has become a menace in Nigerian elections, even during general elections. And so, we have spoken with these security agencies here, because they are people who have the primary responsibility.
“And the penalty is very clear – N500,000 if you are caught in vote buying, or vote trading rather, and/or 12 months imprisonment. And there’s also a sanction for the political party that will be caught doing vote trading.
“So, essentially, we’ve just tried to remind them that they have a duty to ensure that they go about to catch those people and to just ensure that there’s enforcement of the provisions of the law regarding vote trading.
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“We believe that if there is a bit of naming and shaming of those people who are caught. It will deter some people.”
The security agencies at the interactive session allayed the fear of possible breakdown of law and order before, during and after the election.
Also speaking, Mr Omoseyindemi said INEC is collaborating with the security agencies to identify risks areas and corresponding mitigation strategies.
He added that the commission is collaborating with the EFCC, ICPC, to monitor and arrest tote buyers and those selling votes.
Mr Omoseyindemi also disclosed that there are issue of weather related disruption risks, saying that the electoral body is making arrangements for provision of protective materials for sensitive election equipment.
