Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including ad-hoc personnel, arrived at several polling centres in Ado Ekiti early on Saturday with both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials for the 2026 governorship poll.
At Polling Unit 9 in Ward 8 and other locations within the Ado/Okesa area, electoral officers reported that they were fully stationed by 7:00 a.m., ahead of the commencement of the exercise.
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Before voting started, presiding officers presented electoral materials such as ballot papers, empty ballot boxes, and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices. Voters were also briefed on the voting process and accreditation procedures.
Balloting officially got underway around 8:30 a.m., with residents at Ward 8, Unit 9 lining up in an orderly manner to cast their votes.
According to reports from the polling unit, the BVAS successfully accredited the first two voters within approximately 10 seconds each, suggesting an efficient start to the exercise.
The election is taking place in all 16 local government areas of Ekiti State under the supervision of the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC), which is conducting the poll to elect local government chairmen and councillors.
Several political parties are participating in the contest, including incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the APC, Oluwole Oluyede of the PDP, Oluwadare Bejide of the ADC, Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, Oyebanji Olajuyin of the Labour Party, Blessing Abegunde of the NNPP, Bidemi Awogbemi of the APP, and Ayodeji Ojo of the ADP.
Other contenders are Samuel Akande (AAC), Olaniyi Ayodele (PRP), Victor Adetunji (Zenith Labour Party), Olu Omotoso (Action Alliance), Joseph Anifowose (Allied Peoples Movement), and Ayodele Osinkolu (Young Progressive Party).
Election observers and political analysts are closely watching the exercise, viewing it as an important indicator of public opinion and political trends within the state.
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