Tension briefly erupted at a polling unit during the Ekiti State governorship election after some voters confronted officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over their presence at the voting centre.
The incident occurred when members of the EFCC’s surveillance team arrived at the polling unit as part of efforts to monitor and prevent vote-buying and other electoral offences. Some voters questioned the agency’s role at the polling station, expressing concerns that its presence could intimidate electorates.
Witnesses said the disagreement led to a heated exchange, with several voters insisting that the anti-graft officials leave the immediate vicinity of the polling unit. Security personnel and election officials intervened to calm the situation and prevent the confrontation from escalating.
Despite the brief tension, voting continued after order was restored, with eligible voters returning to cast their ballots peacefully.
The EFCC has consistently deployed monitoring teams during major elections across Nigeria to curb vote-buying and other financial crimes associated with the electoral process. The commission maintains that its operations are aimed at protecting the integrity of elections and do not interfere with voting.
The Ekiti governorship election was largely peaceful across the state, although isolated incidents such as the confrontation at the polling unit highlighted the heightened sensitivity surrounding election-day security and anti-corruption enforcement.
