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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has commended what he described as the impressive turnout of voters in the Saturday, June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
Speaking with reporters shortly after casting his vote at Polling Unit 03, Ward 02, Iyin-Ekiti, in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, Bamidele also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the prompt deployment of officials and the timely arrival of voting materials at polling units.
He said, “It is to the glory of God that we are witnessing this exercise again today.
“It may still be a little early to draw definitive conclusions or make a final assessment, but we are already more than four hours into the voting exercise, and I can confidently say that, so far, things have gone well.
“I am impressed by the level of voter turnout. Before leaving my house this morning, I made several calls across the state to obtain firsthand information on how the process was progressing in different local government areas. The reports I received regarding voter turnout have been encouraging.
“I am equally impressed by the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly the prompt deployment of officials to polling units and the timely arrival of voting materials. This represents a significant improvement on previous elections, and I believe the process will continue to get better with time.
“There is no doubt that our electoral system is evolving and improving. This is one of the first major elections being conducted under the amended Electoral Act, and I have observed a high level of compliance—not only by INEC but also by political parties and voters themselves.
“Today, people are more aware of what constitutes electoral offences and the consequences such violations carry for both political parties and individuals. That growing awareness is a positive development for our democracy.
“Based on the reports I have received regarding voter turnout this morning, I remain confident that our party will achieve its target of securing a minimum of 500,000 votes.
“The level of enthusiasm surrounding this election is remarkable. People are coming out in large numbers, eager to participate in the democratic process.
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“I believe this election has the potential to rewrite Ekiti State’s political history. Regardless of the total number of registered voters, we may witness one of the highest percentages of voter participation ever recorded in the state.
“Ekiti currently has about 1.059 million registered voters. According to INEC records released a few days ago, only a little over 30,000 registered voters were yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). This means that more than one million eligible voters have collected their PVCs, and we hope that this level of collection will be reflected in today’s turnout and, ultimately, in the outcome of the election.”
Speaking on the possible gaps in the electoral process, Bamidele said:
“As for possible gaps in the process, I believe that is something that can only be properly assessed after the election. We must consider not only the outcome in Ekiti but also the conduct of the various by-elections taking place across the country today for National Assembly and State House of Assembly seats.
“A comprehensive assessment will require us to review the results, examine the conduct of the elections, and listen carefully to the reports of both local and international election observers who are monitoring the process in Ekiti and other parts of the country.
“Once all these reports have been collated, we will be in a better position to identify any shortcomings and determine whether further amendments to the Electoral Act are necessary.”
Responding to the 2026 amended Electoral Act, he said:
“The law is like a human being—it grows and evolves. As people grow, they often need to change their clothing to suit new realities. That is essentially the purpose of amending existing laws: to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
“Based on our collective understanding and assessment of today’s elections, we will be able to determine whether the current Electoral Act is sufficient or whether additional improvements may be required.
“However, one thing we have resolved as a Parliament is that between now and the 2027 general elections, we do not intend to make any further amendments to the Electoral Act. We will allow the law to operate as it is through the completion of all scheduled elections.
“After the February 2027 general elections, we can then begin to consider any further reforms that may be necessary. Making amendments at this stage would be akin to changing the rules in the middle of a game, and that is something we must avoid in order to preserve the integrity and predictability of the electoral process.”
