Ekiti Election Frenzy: Police Restrict Movement as PVC Collection Soars Amidst Vote Buying Fears

The Ekiti State governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026, is drawing significant attention as the state prepares for its fourth off-cycle gubernatorial poll and the seventh since Nigeria's Fourth Republic began in 1999. This election is also a crucial test for the newly introduced Electoral Act 2026, with stakeholders keenly observing its implementation.

To ensure a peaceful, orderly, and violence-free election, the Ekiti State Police Command has imposed a comprehensive restriction on vehicular movement across the state. This restriction will be active from midnight (12:00 a.m.) to 6:00 p.m. on election day, covering both intra-state and inter-state roads. It applies to all forms of motorized transportation, including private and commercial vehicles, trucks, tricycles, and motorcycles. Exemptions are granted to students and candidates participating in national structured examinations, accredited officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ad-hoc staff, journalists, election observers, medical personnel, emergency responders, and other essential service providers, provided they carry valid identification and clearance tags. Travelers intending to pass through Ekiti State are advised to make alternative arrangements. Furthermore, the movement of VIPs with armed escorts to polling units and collation centers is prohibited, and construction companies undertaking road projects are required to suspend active work for safety reasons. Only personnel from recognized security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) are authorized to provide security at election facilities.

Politically, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Wole Oluyede, has asserted that the people of Ekiti State are his sole