Ekiti Governorship Poll: 13 Political Parties Commit to Peaceful Election, Sign Accord

Ahead of the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, 13 political parties have signed a peace accord, pledging to conduct peaceful campaigns and ensure a violence free electoral process.

The agreement, signed on Thursday, brought together candidates and party representatives who committed themselves to avoiding hate speech, voter intimidation, electoral violence, and other acts capable of undermining the credibility of the election.

Among the signatories was the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who pledged that his administration and party would fully comply with the terms of the accord.

Oyebanji described the peace initiative as consistent with Ekiti State’s democratic culture and political maturity, urging supporters across party lines to maintain peace throughout the electoral process.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the peace accord must go beyond ceremonial signing and translate into responsible conduct by political actors and their supporters.

According to him, Ekiti has built a reputation for peaceful elections and all stakeholders must work collectively to sustain that legacy.

Amupitan explained that the peace accord forms part of INEC’s broader strategy for managing off cycle elections and reducing pre election tensions across the country.

He noted that the initiative, which gained prominence after its deployment during the Edo governorship election in 2020, has since become an important mechanism for promoting peaceful elections in several states.

The INEC chairman also outlined the commission’s level of preparedness for the election, disclosing that arrangements had been concluded for deployment to all 16 local government areas, 177 registration areas, and 2,445 polling units across the state.

He revealed that 1,059,360 registered voters are expected to participate in the exercise, while 52,446 National Youth Service Corps members have been engaged as ad hoc election personnel.

According to him, INEC has also strengthened logistics, technology systems, and result management processes to ensure transparency and efficiency during the poll.

Amupitan further disclosed that 54 media organisations and 470 journalists had applied for accreditation to cover the election, while 96 domestic observer groups and two international observer missions had also been accredited.

Representing the National Peace Committee, Gen. Martin Agwai, who spoke on behalf of former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, described the accord as a collective commitment to democracy, tolerance, and national stability.

Agwai urged political leaders to embrace issue based campaigns and avoid actions capable of threatening peace, stressing that no political ambition is worth the loss of human lives.

Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, assured voters and stakeholders that adequate security arrangements had been put in place to guarantee peaceful conduct during the election.

He said security agencies working under the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security would deploy personnel and operational assets across the state to protect voters, election officials, observers, and electoral materials.

Disu called on residents of Ekiti State to participate peacefully in the election and urged political supporters to respect the democratic process.