Seven Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have raised concerns over the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the Ekiti State off-cycle governorship election, rating the electoral body’s level of readiness at just 34 percent as of April 14, 2026.
- +Ekiti poll under threat as CSOs rate INEC’s Readiness at 34 per cent
The groups warned that gaps in logistics planning, voter education, stakeholder engagement and transparency could undermine the credibility of the election if urgent corrective measures are not implemented before the poll.
The groups warned that gaps in logistics planning, voter education, stakeholder engagement and transparency could undermine the credibility of the election if urgent corrective measures are not implemented before the poll. They called on INEC to accelerate preparations and address operational shortcomings to avoid a repeat of challenges witnessed in previous off-cycle elections across the country.
The assessment was contained in a joint election preparedness report released on Monday after weeks of monitoring and consultations with political actors, electoral officials and community stakeholders in Ekiti State. According to the CSOs, while INEC had made some progress in areas such as preliminary voter register updates and engagement with political parties, several critical aspects of election management remained behind schedule.
The organisations noted that public awareness campaigns on voter participation and electoral guidelines were still limited in many local government areas, leaving many residents uncertain about key election procedures. They also expressed concern over what they described as insufficient training and deployment planning for ad hoc staff expected to manage polling units during the election.
The report further highlighted fears over election security coordination, warning that delayed collaboration between security agencies and electoral authorities could create vulnerabilities on election day. The CSOs urged security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and ensure a neutral operational environment throughout the electoral process.
According to the groups, transparency in procurement and distribution of sensitive election materials also remains a major issue requiring immediate attention. They stressed that timely disclosure of logistics arrangements and deployment plans would improve public confidence in the electoral process.
The civil society organisations called on political parties and candidates to commit to issue-based campaigns and avoid actions capable of escalating political tensions in the state. They also appealed to voters to participate peacefully and resist inducement or manipulation during the election period.
Despite the low rating, the CSOs said there was still enough time for INEC to improve its preparedness level before the governorship election, provided urgent interventions are implemented. They recommended increased voter sensitisation, enhanced stakeholder consultations, improved training for election personnel and stronger coordination with security agencies to ensure a credible and peaceful poll in Ekiti State.
