Juliet Ezeh
Thirteen political parties contesting the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State on Thursday signed a peace accord, pledging to ensure peaceful, credible, and violence-free polls before, during, and after the election.
Among the signatories was Ekiti State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, who reaffirmed the commitment of the people of the state to maintaining peace throughout the electoral process.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, warned political parties and their supporters against treating the peace accord as a mere formality, insisting that it must be reflected in their conduct ahead of the election.
Amupitan said Ekiti has earned national recognition for political awareness and peaceful elections, urging all stakeholders to protect the state’s democratic reputation.
He commended the National Peace Committee (NPC) for sustaining democratic stability in Nigeria through its consistent efforts in promoting non-violent elections across the country.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the commission had reached an advanced level of preparedness for the election, with deployments covering all 16 local government areas, 177 registration areas, and 2,445 polling units in the state.
According to him, a total of 1,059,360 registered voters are eligible to participate in the election.
Amupitan further revealed that INEC would deploy part of its planned 52,446 NYSC members for upcoming off-cycle elections in Ekiti, Osun, and several bye-elections across the country.
He added that 54 media organisations and 470 journalists had already applied for accreditation to cover the election, while 96 domestic and two international observer groups had also been accredited.
The INEC chairman stressed that the commission remains committed only to a transparent and lawful process, warning that vote-buying, voter intimidation, and electoral violence would not be tolerated.
“Any individual or group seeking to subvert the sovereign will of the Ekiti electorate will be met with the firm, unyielding hand of justice,” he warned.
Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, represented by Gen. Martin Agwai, described the peace accord as a collective commitment to free, fair, and credible elections.
He urged political actors to embrace issue-based campaigns, political tolerance, and respect for the rule of law, warning that no political ambition should cost lives or disrupt the peace of the state.
Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, also assured residents of adequate security during the election, saying security agencies had concluded comprehensive deployment plans across all polling units and local governments in the state.
Disu said security personnel had been directed to remain professional, impartial, and committed to protecting democratic values throughout the electoral process.
He urged political parties, candidates, and supporters to uphold the spirit of the peace accord and avoid actions capable of causing unrest before, during, or after the election.
