*As Amupitan says no preferred candidate *Extends PVC collection till Sunday
Ahead of the Saturday June 20th this year’s governorship election in Ekiti State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has revealed that it is working in strict alignment with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices an other related offences Commission, ICPC, to arrest and prosecute financial agents attempting to buy votes around our polling units.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure at a strategic consultative meeting with the Ekiti State Council of Traditional rulers on Thursday in Ado Ekiti, the State capital.
Amupitan similarly declared that INEC has no preferred candidate in the election, stressing that the commission is completely independent, neutral, and dispassionate.
The INEC Chairman said that the people needed to know that selling a vote for momentary financial gain is an abdication of their future and a betrayal of the land.
He advised that Ekiti State, which is popularly known as the Fountain of Knowledge, must lead the nation in demonstrating that electoral choices cannot be purchased.
His words, “The Commission is working in strict alignment with the EFCC and the ICPC to arrest and prosecute financial agents attempting to buy votes around our polling units.
“I appeal to our traditional rulers to use their exalted platforms to preach against this ethical contamination.
“Let our people know that selling a vote for momentary financial gain is an abdication of their future and a betrayal of the land.
“The Fountain of Knowledge must lead the nation in demonstrating that electoral choices cannot be purchased”, he advised.
Continuing, Amupitan said, “As the Chairman of this Commission, I give you my solemn,unassailable pledge: INEC has no candidate in this election. We are completely independent, neutral, and dispassionate.
“Our only allegiance is to the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the raw expression of the will of the Ekiti people.
“We will be simultaneously conducting major legislative bye-elections on that same Saturday across six other states-including Enugu North,Nasarawa North, Rivers South East, and Ondo South Senatorial Districts. Yet, our focus on Ekiti remains total and undiluted.
“We want the Ekiti 2026 Governorship Election to be the gold standard of administrative and security efficiency,serving as a bright diagnostic path toward the 2027 General Elections.
“With your royal blessings and communal oversight, we are confident of a clean,peaceful, and triumphant electoral outcome”, he declared.
Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman, Prof Amupitan has given approval for extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ekiti State till Sunday, giving eligible voters additional time to obtain their cards ahead of the governorship election.
Amupitan announced the extension during a meeting with the Ekiti State Traditional Council, where he appealed to traditional rulers to help maintain peace by prevailing on politicians and their supporters to avoid actions capable of creating tension during the electoral process.
Responding, the acting Chairman of the Council of Traditional rulers in the State and Ajero of Ijero, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole appealed to the commission to see how more electoral wards and units could be created for Ekiti State,
Oba Adebayo hinged his call on the fact that the population of the state has continued to grow since thirty years ago when the existing electoral wards and units were created.
He sinularly harped on the need for the federal constituencies in the State to be increased to no fewer than nine (9) in the State.
He tasked INEC to use the Ekiti State governorship election as a test case for the forthcoming general election in 2027.
The traditional ruler pointed out that gone are the days of violence during election in the State.
