By Gabriel Ameh
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 1,059,360 registered voters will participate in the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026.
The commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
According to INEC, the figure follows the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) clean-up exercise, which increased the state’s voter register from 987,647 voters recorded in 2023 to 1,059,360 in 2026.
INEC also announced the successful conclusion of the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) collection exercise, revealing that 1,028,929 PVCs have been collected across the state. The figure represents 97.1 per cent of all registered voters in Ekiti State.
The commission noted that the PVC collection exercise, originally scheduled to end on June 11, was extended to June 14 after consultations with stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti. The extension, it said, provided eligible voters with additional time to obtain their cards before election day.
INEC further disclosed that it received 14,406 applications for the replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act. The commission stated that all replacement cards were printed and that the majority have already been collected by their owners.
The electoral body explained that the planned introduction of downloadable voter cards could not be implemented for the Ekiti election due to incomplete technological infrastructure. However, it assured voters that the innovation would be deployed in future elections, including the Osun State Governorship Election in August 2026 and the 2027 General Elections.
INEC added that a detailed breakdown of PVC collection figures across the 16 local government areas of the state has been published on its official website and social media platforms for public access.
The commission commended traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations, political parties and media stakeholders for supporting voter mobilisation efforts across the state.
Reaffirming its commitment to a credible electoral process, INEC urged all eligible voters who have collected their PVCs to turn out peacefully and exercise their civic responsibility on election day.
The commission stressed that all necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election in Ekiti State.
