Ekiti Gubernatorial Election: Yiaga Africa and IPC Call on Parties to Stop Using Poverty as a Tool for Voter Inducement

Civil society organisations affiliated with the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU‑SDGN) and the Election Observation Hub have urged political parties and candidates running for the Ekiti State governorship to avoid voter inducement and to maintain democratic principles during the election.

They cautioned political actors against exploiting poverty through vote buying, emphasising that voters must be able to choose freely without coercion or monetary inducements.

The appeal appeared in a preliminary election assessment issued on Saturday in Ado‑Ekiti by members of the observation hub, which includes the Kukah Centre (TKC), TAF Africa, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Yiaga Africa, the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO).

The statement was presented by Samson Itodo (Yiaga Africa), Asabe Ndahi (Kukah Centre), Akin Akingbulu (CEMESO), Lanre Arogundade (IPC), Brenda Anugwom (Nigerian Women Trust Fund) and Jake Epelle (TAF Africa).

The report began: “Our recommendations to political parties and candidates: 1) They should refrain from weaponising poverty through voter inducement and vote buying.

2) They should curb the unruly conduct of their party agents at polling units and collation centres.

3) They should urge their supporters to remain law‑abiding and avoid acts of thuggery and violence.

5) They should respect the choice of the Ekiti people.

The assessment is preliminary and time‑bound, based on information available as of 2 p.m. today.

The EU‑SDGN Election Observation Hub will keep monitoring the remaining voting activities, the collation and announcement of results, and will release another statement after the election.