UK Government Reviews Ekiti Guber Polls, Urges Improvements

The UK Government released its verdict on the governorship elections in Ekiti State, which took place on June 20, 2023. The British High Commission in Abuja praised the overall peaceful conduct of the elections and congratulated the voters for their participation, as well as Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his re-election.

The elections marked the first major test of the new electoral act ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, the British observation team noted significant technical challenges, particularly with the bimodal voter accreditation system, which slowed down the voting process and risked undermining voter confidence.

Additionally, there were concerns about vote trading and interference by party agents, which could erode public confidence in the democratic process. The UK Government encouraged continued collaboration among Nigerian stakeholders to scale good practices in polling units and called for urgent steps to address these issues before the upcoming elections in Osun State and the general elections in 2027.