Vote-Buying Evolve Beyond Cash in Ekiti Election, Observers Warn

The Nigerian Situation Room, a coalition of civil society election observation groups, warned on Saturday, June 21, 2026, that vote-buying in the Ekiti State governorship election had evolved beyond the distribution of physical cash, with digital bank transfers increasingly used to pay voters without leaving physical evidence.

The coalition said its observers documented instances of digital payments being made to voters in several polling units across Ekiti State on election day, describing the development as a disturbing adaptation by political actors seeking to circumvent security agency monitoring of cash distributions near polling areas. The Situation Room called on INEC and security agencies to develop clearer frameworks for prosecuting digital voter inducement.

EU Observers Express Concern

The European Union-SDGN Election Observation Hub issued its own statement commending the performance of BVAS accreditation technology while expressing concern over vote-buying, voter intimidation, and ballot-paper irregularities reported at various polling units. The hub said these incidents, while not sufficient to change the overall outcome of the election, undermined public confidence in the integrity of the process.

ADC gubernatorial candidate Dare Bejide reported that his driver was assaulted and left bleeding after a confrontation at a polling unit, a claim his team said was part of a broader pattern of intimidation targeting non-APC agents across the state. Police confirmed an investigation had been opened into the incident.

A Court Order Against Vote-Buying Went Unheeded

Notably, a court had issued an order barring any party from distributing cash or gifts to voters within 48 hours of the election, directing security agencies to arrest and prosecute violators. However, observer groups said the order appeared to have had limited practical impact given the widespread reports of inducement on election day. Consequently, the Ekiti election has delivered a clear political verdict for the APC but simultaneously raised fresh questions about the quality of Nigeria’s electoral democracy heading into the larger 2027 contest.