The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Election Observation Hub has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results and intensify efforts against vote buying ahead of Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election.
Addressing the members of accredited journalists, the observation hub called on all electoral stakeholders to uphold transparency, professionalism, and accountability to ensure a credible, peaceful, and inclusive election.
The group specifically urged INEC to complete the timely deployment of sensitive materials, ensure all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices are fully configured and functional, activate its situation room, and announce election results transparently at every stage of the collation process.
The observation hub also called on security agencies to maintain neutrality and professionalism throughout the election while avoiding excessive militarization that could intimidate voters and suppress participation.
It further urged security operatives to adopt intelligence-led operations to combat vote buying, electoral violence, and other forms of malpractice before, during and after the poll.
The group appealed to political parties and candidates to honour the peace accord they previously signed by rejecting vote buying, voter intimidation, fake news and the use of political thugs.
The media was also advised to verify information before publication, avoid spreading misinformation and refrain from announcing election results from unofficial sources.
In addition, the EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub encouraged voters to arrive at their polling units by 8:30 a.m., vote according to their conscience and report any incidents of violence, vote buying or electoral malpractice to the appropriate authorities.
The organisation described the Ekiti governorship election as a crucial test of Nigeria’s new Electoral Act 2026 and an important rehearsal for the 2027 general election, urging all stakeholders to work together to protect the integrity of the democratic process.
