Ekiti Governorship Poll Achieved Global Standards, Rights Watchdogs Affirm

A group of human rights bodies, operating under the banner of the Nigerian Human Rights Community, has endorsed the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, describing it as a credible, free, and fair exercise that met international benchmarks. This declaration was made in a statement jointly signed by Martins Adeleke, Fred Ojinika, and Abubakar Ahmed, representing the coalition.

The rights group based its assessment on observations from over 200 monitors deployed across Ekiti State during the election. They stated that the poll genuinely reflected the democratic choice of the electorate, noting its peaceful nature and the absence of the violence, ballot snatching, and other irregularities that have plagued past elections.

The incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, secured victory in all 16 local government areas of the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared Oyebanji the winner, having garnered 319,224 votes. He defeated his closest challengers, Olumayokun Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), across the state's constituencies.

INEC received commendation from the rights groups for the noticeable improvements in the electoral process, specifically highlighting the successful deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission of results. According to the coalition, these innovations significantly "enhanced transparency, accountability and credibility while eliminating ballot snatching, voter register manipulation and other forms of electoral fraud."

"Compared with global standards, the election met international expectations," the coalition affirmed. "This is attributable to the improvements recorded by INEC over the years and the professionalism demonstrated by its officials during the poll." The group also noted that the election results accurately reflected the political landscape of the state, given the APC's dominance in many polling units.

Further details from the observers indicated that Dr. Wole Oluyede of the PDP polled 40,533 votes, while Dare Bejide of the ADC secured 12,872 votes. The APC's triumph was attributed to extensive grassroots campaigns, a robust political structure across the state, and the advantage of incumbency.

Despite their positive evaluation, the coalition advocated for ongoing electoral reforms. Key recommendations included provisions for special categories of voters, such as journalists, health workers, and security personnel on election duty. They also lauded the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, and his team for their professionalism and transparency in managing the election.

Observers reported that electoral materials were delivered promptly to the 177 wards and polling units statewide, with voting commencing on schedule in most monitored locations. The presence of opposition party agents at polling units and the open counting of votes in their presence were cited as factors that reduced fears of manipulation.

However, the coalition raised concerns about the relatively low voter turnout, urging INEC and political parties to intensify voter education and civic engagement campaigns for future elections. They maintained that despite challenges, "democracy remains the best system of government" and called on all stakeholders to continuously work towards strengthening Nigeria's electoral framework.

Additional reform suggestions included constitutional backing for independent candidacy, preferential treatment for elderly persons, pregnant women, and people with disabilities during voting, and the creation of more polling units to alleviate overcrowding and reduce the distance voters have to travel to cast their ballots.