By Opeyemi Adelakun
Political parties in Ekiti State have expressed confidence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC) all predicting victory in the closely watched contest.
A total of 1,059,360 registered voters are expected to determine who succeeds Governor Biodun Oyebanji, with campaigns ending amid heightened political activities across the state.
The APC said it was aiming for a landslide victory across all 16 local government areas, 177 wards and 2,445 polling units. The party’s spokesman, Segun Dipe, stated that the APC was targeting more than 500,000 votes and remained confident of securing an overwhelming mandate.
The opposition PDP also projected victory, insisting it enjoyed widespread support across the state. The party claimed it was in a strong position to secure wins in at least 10 local government areas.
Similarly, the ADC expressed optimism about its chances, saying public goodwill and voter dissatisfaction with the major parties could propel it to victory despite concerns over vote-buying and incumbency advantage.
As political parties make final preparations, more than 7,000 party agents are expected to monitor voting and collation processes across polling units statewide.
Residents across Ado-Ekiti and other parts of the state were seen making last-minute purchases and travel arrangements ahead of the election, while many voters expressed hope that the exercise would be peaceful and credible.
Security agencies have also intensified preparations. The Nigeria Police Force assured residents of adequate security before, during and after the poll, warning political thugs and troublemakers to stay away from the process.
Authorities announced restrictions on vehicular movement from midnight to 6 p.m. on election day, covering both intra-state and inter-state routes within Ekiti State.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) disclosed that 5,500 personnel had been deployed to protect polling centres, critical infrastructure and other strategic locations.
Meanwhile, election observers under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) programme urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain neutrality and ensure the effective deployment of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices to guarantee a transparent process.
The observers described the election as a significant test of Nigeria’s revised electoral framework and called for prompt electronic transmission of results to strengthen public confidence in the outcome.
With all eyes now on Ekiti, voters are set to decide which party will take charge of the state in what is expected to be a fiercely contested governorship election.
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