INEC expands 2027 election preparations to 16 Ekiti local councils
By Boye Oyeyemi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has outlined a comprehensive strategy to extend its preparations for the 2027 general elections across all 16 local government areas in Ekiti State to foster grassroots engagement and guarantee credible voting processes.
Speaking on Wednesday during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, revealed that these targeted field operations will officially commence next week to boost voter confidence across the state.
Consequently, the upcoming outreach will focus on seven foundational pillars, notably voter registration, staff training, logistics, technological deployment, security enhancement, public engagement, and inclusive democratic participation.
To ensure seamless execution, electoral officials are currently evaluating essential operational assets across all 177 registration areas, including vehicles, motorcycles, power generators, and communication equipment.
Simultaneously, the commission is boosting the technical proficiency of its permanent and ad hoc personnel to optimise the operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and other digital platforms ahead of poll day.
However, Dr. Omoseyindemi cautioned that persistent threats such as vote buying, political violence, hate speech, and disinformation continue to pose severe risks to electoral integrity across the region.
Therefore, he urged law enforcement and security agencies to significantly step up intelligence gathering and proactive measures to curb potential electoral malpractices and intimidation.
Meanwhile, the commissioner called on civil society groups, political leaders, traditional authorities, and the media to support the electoral body while reassuring women, youths, and persons with disabilities of full inclusion.
