The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured residents of Ekiti State of adequate security and a credible electoral process ahead of the June 20 governorship election.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance during a mock accreditation exercise held in Ado-Ekiti, where the Commission tested the functionality of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in preparation for the poll.
According to him, extensive security arrangements have been made, with personnel being deployed from various parts of the country to identify flashpoints to ensure the safety of voters, election officials and electoral materials throughout the exercise.
Professor Amupitan said INEC, working closely with security agencies, has mapped out potential areas of concern and put measures in place to prevent any breach of peace during the election.
Speaking on the outcome of the mock accreditation exercise, the INEC Chairman expressed satisfaction with the performance of the BVAS, noting that the device accredited voters within seconds and successfully identified attempts to verify accreditation outside designated polling units.
He explained that the technology has been further enhanced with safeguards that prevent presiding officers from uploading results that do not correspond with figures entered on official result sheets, thereby strengthening transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
Amupitan also dismissed concerns about possible delays in densely populated polling units, stating that INEC’s polling unit splitting arrangement and deployment strategy would ensure smooth accreditation and voting.
The INEC Chairman further disclosed that all non sensitive election materials have been distributed and batched, while electoral officers across the state have confirmed their readiness for the exercise.
He expressed confidence that voting would commence as scheduled across Ekiti State, assuring residents that the Commission remains fully prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election.
With security deployment intensified and electoral technology successfully tested, INEC says all is set for Ekiti voters to head to the polls next Saturday under conditions designed to guarantee safety, transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.
