13 political parties participating in the June 20, 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State on Thursday signed a peace accord, pledging to ensure peaceful conduct before, during, and after the poll.
Among the signatories was Governor Biodun Oyebanji, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who reaffirmed the commitment of Ekiti people to sustaining peace throughout the electoral process.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, urged political parties and candidates to uphold the spirit of the agreement, stressing that the accord must go beyond mere documentation.
According to him, Ekiti State has a long standing reputation for political awareness and peaceful elections, urging stakeholders to preserve that legacy during the forthcoming governorship poll.
Prof. Amupitan commended the National Peace Committee (NPC) for its consistent role in promoting democratic stability in Nigeria, noting that the committee’s intervention has helped reduce tensions during elections across the country.
He recalled the successful implementation of peace accords during previous off-cycle elections, including the 2025 Anambra governorship election, adding that INEC intends to replicate the same approach in Ekiti.
The INEC chairman disclosed that 1,059,360 registered voters are eligible to participate in the election, while deployment plans have been concluded for the state’s 16 local government areas, 177 registration areas, and 2,445 polling units.
He also revealed that INEC has accredited 54 media organisations and 470 journalists to cover the election, alongside 96 domestic and two international observer groups.
Amupitan assured stakeholders that the commission had strengthened its logistics, technology, and result management systems to ensure a credible election, while warning against vote buying, voter intimidation, and electoral violence.
“It is not the signatures written today that preserve democracy; it is the character of the leaders who hold the pen,” he said.
He further urged political leaders to ensure that the message of peace is carried down to their supporters at the grassroots level.
Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, represented by Gen. Martin Agwai, described the peace accord as a collective commitment to free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections.
He stressed that no political ambition should be allowed to threaten the peace and unity of the state.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, also assured residents of adequate security before, during, and after the election.
The IGP said the police, in collaboration with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, had concluded deployment plans across all local governments and polling units in the state.
He pledged that security personnel would remain professional, impartial, and committed to protecting democratic values throughout the electoral process.
Disu urged political parties, candidates, and supporters to conduct their activities peacefully and advised residents to come out without fear to exercise their constitutional rights on election day.
