By: Tunji Okunlola
The Independent National Electoral Commission has begun distributing sensitive election materials across Ekiti State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election and a series of senatorial and House of Representatives by-elections.
Officials were on Thursday at the Central Bank of Nigeria office in Ado-Ekiti sorting and dispatching materials to all 16 local government areas in the state. Security personnel were deployed throughout to ensure safe movement of the consignment.
Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi described the process as smooth and well-organised, assuring stakeholders that all materials would reach their destinations on time.
The commission also released updated voter statistics for the state, showing that the number of registered voters has grown from 987,647 in 2023 to 1,059,360 in 2026. Permanent Voter Card collection rose correspondingly, from 958,052 to 1,028,929 over the same period, a collection rate of 97 per cent, covering 97.1 per cent of all registered voters.
The PVC collection exercise, initially scheduled to close on June 11, was extended to June 14 following consultations with stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti.
INEC said it received 14,406 applications for replacement voter cards under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which allows registered voters to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs. All replacement cards were successfully printed, and most have already been collected.
The commission acknowledged, however, that a planned feature allowing voters to download digital copies of lost or damaged PVCs could not be implemented in time for the Ekiti election, as the required technology infrastructure is not yet fully deployed. INEC said the option would be available for the Osun State governorship election in August and the 2027 general election.
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