The British High Commission in Nigeria has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for the “peaceful conduct” of the governorship election in Ekiti state.
In a statement on Monday, the high commission also expressed concerns over the buying of votes by politicians and delays caused by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
INEC declared Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election, noting that the incumbent polled 319,224 votes to defeat Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who garnered 40,543 votes, and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who scored 12,872 votes.
However, allegations of vote-buying and voter suppression in some polling units dominated headlines afterwards.
There were also technical glitches, with the BVAS device failing to capture some elderly voters and causing delays in certain polling units.
UK in Nigeria congratulated voters in the state for participating in the election and exercising their democratic rights. It also congratulated Oyebanji on his re-election.
It noted that the poll was the first major election conducted under the Electoral Act 2026 and its accompanying guidelines.
According to the commission, its observers met with key stakeholders, including police and INEC officials, before the election to understand how the law was being implemented.
“On the day of the election, our observers witnessed positive collaboration between INEC officials and security agencies, which played an important role in ensuring voting was mostly peaceful.
“While our team noted the prioritisation of vulnerable voters at several polling units, which is commendable, the physical location and set-up of most polling units visited were inaccessible to voters with disabilities.
“Our observers also noted delays to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at some polling units, which slowed down voting. Technical issues risk undermining voter confidence in electoral systems and can discourage turnout,” the statement read.
UK in Nigeria raised concerns about vote-buying and interference by party agents during the election, urging stakeholders to apply lessons from the Ekiti election in the forthcoming governorship poll in Osun state.
“Our observation team was concerned to see instances of vote trading and interference by party agents at polling units visited. Vote trading erodes public confidence and undermines the democratic process. We call on all actors to take urgent steps to address this corrosive practice,” it stated.
The British high commission maintained that the credibility of the 2027 general election would be crucial to public confidence in democratic institutions and Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa.
The embassy recommitted to collaborating with the Nigerian government and civil society to strengthen democratic institutions, promote credible electoral processes, and support efforts aimed at building a more inclusive and accountable system.
