'Ekiti guber, glimpse into 2027 elections'

The euphoria that greeted the re-election of Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji is evidence of the high stakes involved in the outcome of the off-cycle governorship election. For Oyebanji, the victory marks the beginning of a new tenure, while his opponents, Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), must come to terms with defeat. The election has also been seen as a litmus test for the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) technological capabilities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the prompt uploading of results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal have been commended by stakeholders and political analysts. While the exercise was described as hitch-free, some concerns remain, particularly with regards to vote buying and delays in the accreditation process. According to Sola Ebiseni, Secretary General of Afenifere, the Ekiti off-season gubernatorial election "may not really be regarded as an isolated exercise" due to the simultaneous holding of parliamentary by-elections across the country. Nevertheless, Ebiseni believes that the election was a manageable exercise compared to the scale of national general elections.

The INEC chairman, Professor Amupitan, has a lot to prove in the upcoming Osun State governorship election. Stakes are high, and the commission must take complaints about the Ekiti election into consideration to avoid a repeat of the same mistakes. While some may view the Ekiti election as a minor test of INEC's capabilities, the fact remains that the 2027 general elections will be a different ball game altogether. As Ebiseni noted, the Ekiti election "ought to be a flawless litmus test for INEC under Amupitan, particularly in the area of timely accreditation using the BVAS procedure."

Vote buying remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria's electoral landscape. Edema described it as a "cancerous challenge" that still plagues the electoral process. While INEC has made efforts to curb the practice, it remains a significant concern for stakeholders and analysts. The deployment of BVAS and the prompt release of results on the IReV portal are steps in the right direction, but more needs to be done to address the root causes of vote buying.

Given the lessons learned from the Ekiti election, I predict that INEC will make significant improvements in the 2027 general elections. With the deployment of BVAS and the prompt release of results on the IReV portal, the commission has demonstrated its capacity to conduct a more transparent and efficient electoral process. However, it is essential to address the persistent challenges of vote buying and delays in the accreditation process. A flawless election in 2027 will depend on INEC's ability to build on the successes of the Ekiti election and address the concerns raised by stakeholders and analysts.

As the dust settles on the Ekiti governorship election, one thing is clear: the 2027 general elections will be a defining moment for INEC and the nation. With the stakes high and the challenges numerous, it is essential to learn from the lessons of the Ekiti election and build a more robust electoral system that ensures the will of the people is reflected in the outcome of elections.