Ekiti Poll: INEC identifies 469 polling units as potential flashpoints

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified 469 polling units as potential flashpoints ahead of the governorship election in Ekiti State. This designation comes after extensive security mapping of the state's 2,445 polling units.

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan disclosed this information to media executives, stating that the findings have been shared with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). Plans are in place for enhanced security deployments in vulnerable areas. The commission has also established communication channels, including a dedicated incident reporting platform, to ensure rapid escalation of security concerns.

“

We have worked closely with the police, DSS (SSS), Civil Defence and other security agencies. Our priority is to ensure that voters, election officials, journalists and observers are safe throughout the electoral process.

Professor Amupitan affirmed the commission's readiness for the election, scheduled for Saturday, June 20. He assured voters, political parties, and stakeholders of arrangements for a peaceful, transparent, and credible exercise. This assurance follows an inspection of a mock accreditation exercise, which tested the commission's technological infrastructure and operational capacity.

During the mock accreditation, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) performed efficiently, with fingerprint and facial authentication averaging five to seven seconds per voter. INEC has deployed additional backup BVAS devices and technical support personnel across all Registration Areas to promptly address any equipment malfunctions. The commission emphasized its collaboration with the police, DSS, and Civil Defence to ensure the safety of all participants throughout the electoral process.

“

We did not want to speak from an air-conditioned boardroom in Abuja or rely solely on paperwork. We went to the theatre of operations to see for ourselves how our systems are performing. The mock accreditation is essentially to test our facilities, especially our technology, and ensure that everything required for the election is functioning optimally.