The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) has urged stakeholders to remain vigilant against vote buying ahead of Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election, describing the poll as a critical democratic exercise.

The organisation also warned against voter apathy, calling on citizens and relevant stakeholders to actively support efforts aimed at ensuring a credible, peaceful and inclusive electoral process.

This is contained in a statement jointly signed on Thursday in Abuja by Victor Adetula, Director of CDD-West Africa and Chair of the CDD-Election Analysis Centre (CDD-EAC), outlining key electoral concerns.

Ekiti is the first off-cycle governorship election scheduled for June 20, while the Osun governorship election is expected to hold on August 15.

CDD-EAC said the election would serve as an important test of Nigeria’s electoral institutions, democratic resilience and political environment ahead of the 2027 general elections and broader democratic consolidation efforts nationwide.

The organisation said its assessment showed that the pre-election atmosphere remained largely peaceful, with no widespread incidents of political violence recorded across the state during campaigns and other political activities.

However, it expressed concern over declining electoral competitiveness, voter apathy, vote buying, misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, alongside economic hardship influencing voter behaviour and participation across the state.

CDD said that although no major security threats had emerged, stakeholders must remain alert against isolated incidents of intimidation or disruption during the election period to safeguard electoral integrity.

It urged security agencies to continue discharging their responsibilities professionally, impartially and lawfully to guarantee a peaceful process and sustain public confidence in the electoral environment throughout.

The organisation observed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) entered the election with significant advantages, including incumbency, extensive political structures, elite endorsements and statewide institutional presence.

According to CDD, the broad cross-party support enjoyed by Governor Biodun Oyebanji is unprecedented in Ekiti’s political history and reflects wider political realignments ahead of 2027.

While acknowledging that political consensus could enhance stability, the organisation said democracy also required credible alternatives capable of providing voters with meaningful choices, competition and accountability.

CDD noted that opposition parties had struggled with internal divisions, organisational weaknesses and limited coordination, reducing the competitiveness historically associated with elections in Ekiti and weakening democratic participation.

The organisation said economic hardship, rising living costs, inflation, youth unemployment and declining purchasing power remained dominant concerns among citizens throughout the campaign period and engagements.

It also noted that insecurity, particularly kidnapping incidents and attacks in some communities, had featured prominently in public discussions and campaign engagements across the state.

CDD commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its preparations, including voter education, PVC distribution, stakeholder engagement and technology testing, while urging strict procedural compliance.

The organisation called on voters to participate peacefully, reject inducement, verify information before sharing it and uphold democratic values to ensure a credible and inclusive election. 

(NAN)