CDD Flags Vote-Buying, Ballot Issues in Ekiti Election

An election monitoring group, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has raised concerns regarding vote-buying, discrepancies in election materials, and malfunctioning Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices during the Ekiti State governorship election. The organization released a preliminary assessment on Saturday, noting that while the election proceeded peacefully with early material distribution in many polling units, several operational shortcomings could undermine public confidence.

The CDD deployed accredited observers across Ekiti State to monitor logistics, accreditation, voting, security, and compliance with electoral guidelines. The group observed that voter turnout appeared lower than anticipated in many polling units, despite evident enthusiasm in some locations. A significant concern highlighted was the inconsistency in sensitive election materials: ballot papers listed 19 political parties, but Form EC8A result sheets only included 15. Observers also noted an instance where election officials initially failed to stamp and sign ballot papers, a problem later rectified by an INEC supervisor.

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While voter enthusiasm was evident in several locations, turnout appeared lower than expected in many polling units relative to the number of registered voters assigned to them.

Several cases of malfunctioning BVAS devices were reported, causing temporary disruptions to accreditation and voting in areas including Ado-Ekiti and Oye Local Government Areas. On security, the CDD reported that the election remained largely peaceful, with no widespread incidents of intimidation or violence reported by observers. However, the group did document procedural violations by party agents, such as alleged interference in voting and disputes between rival representatives.

The CDD also reported multiple instances of vote-buying, with allegations of voters being paid N10,000 after casting their ballots in some locations, and tally slips being used to facilitate post-voting payments. These findings align with reports from PREMIUM TIMES, which also documented alleged vote-buying and isolated disruptions during the poll.

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Observers did not report widespread incidents of intimidation, harassment, or violence across polling units.