Politics

UK Government Gives Verdict on Ekiti Governorship Election

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33 minutes ago

UK Government Gives Verdict on Ekiti Governorship Election

The United Kingdom government has announced its assessment of the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, commending the generally peaceful atmosphere during the event, while also expressing significant concerns regarding technical issues and the accessibility of polling stations.

In an official statement from the British High Commission in Abuja, the UK government congratulated the citizens of Ekiti State for their active participation in the election and offered its congratulations to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of the All Progress Congress (APC) on his re-election.

The commission praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and local stakeholders for their effective collaboration, which contributed to the peaceful and orderly conduct of the election.

According to reports from POLITICS NIGERIA, the recent election served as the inaugural assessment of the new Electoral Act 2026 and its related guidelines.

In preparation for the polls, a delegation of observers from the British High Commission engaged with key stakeholders, including representatives from the police force and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to gather insights on the implementation of the updated legal framework.

The observer team acknowledged the effort to prioritize vulnerable voters in several polling units. However, they raised concerns regarding the physical layout of the voting areas, indicating that improvements are needed in that aspect.

“While our team noted the prioritisation of vulnerable voters at several polling units, which is commendable, the physical location and set-up of most polling units visited were inaccessible to voters with disabilities.”

The UK government encouraged continued collaboration among Nigerian stakeholders to scale up good practices at all polling units ahead of the general elections in 2027.

The British observer team also reported notable technical challenges involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) across multiple locations.

“Our observers also noted delays to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at some polling units, which slowed down voting. Technical issues risk undermining voter confidence in electoral systems and can discourage turnout.”

Beyond technical hitches, the international observers expressed concern over malpractices in the field.

“Our observation team were concerned to see instances of vote trading and interference by party agents at polling units visited. Vote trading erodes public confidence and undermines the democratic process. We call on all actors to take urgent steps to address this corrosive practice.”

Looking forward, the UK government urged Nigerian electoral authorities and political actors to immediately absorb these lessons from Ekiti as the next off-cycle election approaches in Osun State. The statement emphasized that as Nigeria moves toward the 2027 general elections, maintaining a credible process will be vital for public confidence in democratic institutions, national progress, and Nigeria’s leadership role across Africa.

The UK reaffirmed its readiness to work alongside the Nigerian government and civil society groups to champion credible electoral processes, strengthen public institutions, and support organizations working toward a more inclusive and accountable system.