The British High Commission in Abuja has extended congratulations to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji following his victory in Saturday’s governorship election, while also drawing attention to concerns about vote buying, technical challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and inadequate access to polling units for persons living with disabilities.
In a statement released on Monday, the diplomatic mission commended residents of Ekiti State for their participation in the election and praised their commitment to the democratic process. It also congratulated Governor Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress on securing a second term in office.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Oyebanji the winner after he secured 319,224 votes across the state’s 16 local government areas. His closest challenger, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party, garnered 40,533 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress received 12,872 votes.
The High Commission praised the generally peaceful and orderly conduct of the election, acknowledging the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, and other stakeholders involved in the process. It disclosed that British observers engaged with election officials, security personnel, and other relevant actors before the poll to assess compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
According to the mission, observers witnessed effective cooperation between election officials and security agencies on election day, a factor it said contributed significantly to maintaining peace during the voting process.
Despite the positive assessment, the High Commission highlighted several areas requiring improvement. It noted that while some polling units gave priority attention to vulnerable voters, many centres remained difficult or impossible for persons with disabilities to access due to their location and physical layout. The mission urged electoral stakeholders to strengthen efforts to make all polling units more inclusive ahead of future elections, particularly the 2027 general polls.
The British observers also reported delays linked to the BVAS technology in some locations. According to the statement, technical difficulties slowed the accreditation process and, if not properly addressed, could weaken public trust in electoral systems and discourage voter participation in future elections.
In addition, the mission expressed concern over incidents of vote trading and alleged interference by party agents at some polling stations. It warned that such practices threaten the integrity of elections, undermine confidence in democratic institutions, and weaken the credibility of the electoral process. The High Commission therefore called on political actors, electoral authorities, and law enforcement agencies to take decisive action against the problem.
Looking ahead, the British mission urged stakeholders to apply lessons learned from the Ekiti governorship election as preparations begin for the upcoming Osun governorship contest and the 2027 general elections. It stressed that the credibility of future elections would be crucial not only for sustaining public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions but also for reinforcing the country’s position as a leading democratic influence on the African continent.
The statement concluded by reaffirming the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen its democratic institutions and promote elections that are transparent, inclusive, credible, and accountable.