INEC Unveils Updated Ekiti Voters’ Register

… To Deploy 3,170 BVAS Devices For Governorship Poll

By Kemi Folarin

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to conducting a credible, transparent and inclusive governorship election in Ekiti State on June 20, 2026.

Speaking during the official presentation and publication of the voters’ register in Ado Ekiti, Professor Amupitan described the exercise as a major milestone in the Commission’s preparations for the governorship poll.

He noted that the visit also marked his first official outing to Ekiti State since assuming office as Chairman of the electoral body.

The INEC Chairman acknowledged the presence of National Commissioners, including Sam Olumekun and Rear Admiral Malafa, among others while commending the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, for maintaining effective collaboration among political parties, civil society groups and other stakeholders in the state.

Professor Amupitan explained that the publication of the voters’ register was in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act which require the Commission to display the register at least thirty days before an election.

He disclosed that seven out of the nine major activities scheduled ahead of the governorship election had already been successfully completed.

According to him, the updated register was compiled after the Continuous Voter Registration exercise conducted between August 2025 and February 2026, alongside claims, objections and data clean-up exercises aimed at removing duplications and ineligible registrations.

The INEC Chairman revealed that the number of registered voters in Ekiti State rose from about 900,000 recorded during the 2023 general elections to over 1,059,000 voters.

He added that the Commission’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System, AFIS, detected and removed more than two thousand cases of double registration from the database.

Professor Amupitan further disclosed that the Commission would deploy a total of three thousand, one hundred and seventy Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVA, devices for the governorship election to guarantee transparency and credibility in the electoral process.

He explained that two thousand, four hundred and sixty-two devices would be deployed across polling units in the state, while seven hundred and eight additional devices would serve as backup.

He assured political parties, observers and the electorate that the Commission remained committed to neutrality, fairness and strict compliance with electoral laws, while urging all stakeholders to maintain peace and conduct themselves responsibly before, during and after the election.