As part of preparations for the election, the three major parties disclosed plans to deploy over 7,000 agents across polling units to monitor the process and safeguard their votes
KaNo —
With a total of 1,059,360 registered voters set to determine the next governor of Ekiti State, the three leading political parties—the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC)—have all expressed strong confidence in securing victory as the governorship election holds today.
The APC, through its State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, said the ruling party was not only confident of winning but was targeting a landslide victory.
According to him, the party had set an ambitious goal of securing at least 500,000 votes and winning across all local governments, wards, and polling units in the state.
“Our expectation in the governorship election is to win by a landslide,” Dipe said.
“We have a target of 500,000 votes. We aim to reach 500,000 votes and surpass it. That’s our expectation. We are looking at winning 16 out of 16 local governments, 177 out of 177 wards, and all 2,445 polling units.”
When asked about possible concerns regarding the conduct of the election, the APC spokesman dismissed any fears, stating that the party’s primary focus was on making history through an overwhelming mandate.
“We have nothing to fear,” he added.
“The only anticipation is that we want to make history. We know we will win, but we want to win by a landslide.”
Similarly, the PDP expressed confidence in its chances, with the Director of Media of its Governorship Campaign Council, Sanya Atofarati, declaring that the party was on track to secure a comfortable victory.
He claimed that internal assessments indicated that the PDP was already leading in at least 10 local government areas.
“We are confident that we are winning this election,” Atofarati said.
“We can authoritatively say that we are winning by 60 per cent, even as of Friday. We are winning comfortably in at least 10 local government areas.”
He also called on electoral authorities and security agencies to ensure a transparent and credible process, stressing the importance of the election in shaping future political contests in the country.
“We are appealing to the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission to be fair and ensure that nobody indulges in anything capable of undermining the credibility of the election,” he said.
“This election is very strategic because it is a gateway to other elections to come in 2027.”
The ADC also projected confidence, despite acknowledging potential challenges such as the influence of incumbency and vote-buying.
The party’s State Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, said the ADC was relying on the goodwill of the electorate and believed it could secure victory in at least 10 local government areas.
“We believe in the goodwill of the people,” Adebayo said.
“If the election depends on the goodwill of the people, we are good to go. We will win many local governments—at least 10 comfortably.”
While expressing concern about voter inducement, he maintained that many voters would act according to their conscience.
“Not all the people are gullible, and not every voter is corrupt,” he added.
“There are still people who believe in voting based on their conscience. That gives us confidence.”
As part of preparations for the election, the three major parties disclosed plans to deploy over 7,000 agents across polling units to monitor the process and safeguard their votes.
A PDP chieftain, Gani Salau, said the party alone would deploy more than 2,000 agents.
The APC, on its part, confirmed it would station one agent in each of the state’s 2,445 polling units, bringing its total to at least 2,445 agents.
An ADC official also revealed that the party would have representation across all polling units.
In addition to party agents, several civil society organisations are expected to deploy observers to monitor the conduct of the election and ensure compliance with electoral guidelines.
Observations across the state capital on Friday showed increased commercial activity, with markets witnessing a surge in patronage as residents stocked up on essential items ahead of the restriction of movement on election day. Areas such as Basiri Motor Park, Ajilosun, and Iworoko Road recorded heightened human and vehicular movement.
The state government had earlier declared Friday a public holiday to enable workers travel to their respective communities to vote, leading to the closure of government offices and schools.
Security agencies have also assured voters of adequate protection before, during, and after the election.
The Nigeria Police Force reiterated its readiness, stating that comprehensive security arrangements had been put in place to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
The supervising Deputy Inspector-General of Police for the election, Mustapha Fayoade, said personnel and logistics had been strategically deployed to ensure a smooth exercise.
“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, has put in place robust security arrangements,” Fayoade said during a briefing in Ado Ekiti.
He urged officers to maintain professionalism and adhere strictly to the rule of law.
He also called on political actors and the public to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a peaceful environment.
Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Abayomi Shogunle, confirmed that officers had already been deployed across the state and would provide escort for electoral materials and personnel.
“Police escorts will remain with sensitive materials, INEC staff, and ad hoc workers,” Shogunle said.
“Early on Saturday morning, materials will be distributed under police escort to all polling units.”
He added that arrangements had been made to ensure that polling units are set up by 6:30 a.m., while voting is expected to commence by 8:30 a.m., in line with electoral guidelines.
As Ekiti voters head to the polls, the stage appears set for a keenly contested election, with high expectations for a peaceful process that reflects the will of the people.
