Ekiti guber: Voters chase EFCC operatives from Polling Unit

Some youths on Saturday chased away operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from a polling unit in Ekiti State during the governorship election.

The incident occurred at Polling Unit 10, Ward B, in Iyin-Ekiti, where voting was ongoing.

A viral video circulating on social media and seen by Daily Trust showed a group of voters confronting the anti-graft agency officials and demanding that they leave the polling area.

The EFCC operatives were reportedly at the polling unit as part of efforts to monitor and curb vote-buying, a practice that has remained a major concern in Nigeria’s electoral process.

However, some voters questioned the presence of the agency’s personnel at the polling centre and resisted their deployment to the area.

Following the confrontation, the EFCC officials left the polling unit, while voting continued peacefully without any reported disruption.

The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of the conduct of political actors and voters in the Ekiti governorship election, with election observers and political parties expressing concerns over alleged voter inducement.

Earlier in the day, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate, Kemi Bejide, alleged incidents of vote-buying and assault at his polling unit.

Mr Bejide made the allegation while speaking with police officers at Ward 2, Ilawe-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, deployed electoral officials and sensitive materials across the state for the election, while security agencies were mobilised to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible poll.