The British Government has congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, voters, and Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji following the conduct of the 2026 governorship election in the state.
In a statement issued on Monday by the British High Commission in Abuja, the UK commended Ekiti voters for participating in the June 20 election and exercising their democratic rights. It also congratulated Governor Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on his re-election.
The High Commission described the election as peaceful and orderly, praising INEC, security agencies, and other stakeholders for their roles in the successful conduct of the poll.
According to the statement, British High Commission observers engaged with key stakeholders, including INEC officials and the police, ahead of the election to assess the implementation of the Electoral Act 2026 and its accompanying guidelines.
The observers noted positive collaboration between electoral officials and security personnel during the election, saying the partnership contributed significantly to maintaining peace at polling units.
The UK mission also commended efforts made to prioritise vulnerable voters at several polling units. However, it expressed concern that many polling units visited were not adequately accessible to persons with disabilities due to their physical location and setup.
The statement urged relevant stakeholders to improve accessibility at polling units ahead of future elections, particularly the 2027 general elections.
“Our observers also noted delays to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at some polling units, which slowed down voting. Technical issues risk undermining voter confidence in electoral systems
