Ekiti 2026: Fayemi, Arise hail smooth voting process

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Former Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has commended the conduct of Saturday’s governorship election in the state, describing the accreditation and voting process as seamless.

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Fayemi, who spoke with newsmen after casting his vote at his Ward 11, Unit 9, Ogilolo, Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of the state, praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its efficiency in the handling of the exercise.

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“It was a smooth experience, and everything went reasonably well. The accreditation process was fast and seamless, and I could see that it was the same for my wife.

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“I want to commend the team working for INEC on this occasion. It’s not always that things would be this smooth.

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“So, at least on the technical side, it would appear to have been a process that was seamless.

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“In spite of the unfortunate incident that we experienced here last night, which had nothing to do with politics, the process has been well ordered,” Fayemi said.

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Also, a former lawmaker representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Sen. Ayo Arise, expressed optimism that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would emerge victorious in the election.

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Speaking with newsmen shortly after casting his vote in Oye-Ekiti, Arise described the election process as peaceful, smooth and efficient.

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The former senator, however, noted that the turnout at his polling unit was lower than he had anticipated.

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He explained that voters leaving voting centers immediately after voting might make it difficult to accurately assess their turnout.

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“My observations were limited to the period I was present at the polling unit.

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“The election was very peaceful, very smooth and quick too. But I am not too sure whether we had the kind of crowd we expected.

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“At my polling unit, I have seen longer queues in previous elections. The turnout I witnessed was around average, not too poor, but certainly not exceptionally high,” he said.

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