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As voting continued in the Ekiti State governorship election, election observer and Nigerian representative of the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), Tokunbo Oyetunji, highlighted the intense desperation that often characterizes electoral contests in Nigeria.
Speaking during a live election coverage programme with Arise News, Oyetunji said the fierce competition for political power has made elections increasingly contentious, regardless of the size of the state or the number of registered voters involved.
“The thing is because of the desperation of politicians, elections are no longer cheap or easy. People want to die to win elections, in quotes, because they are ready to go to any level,” he said.
His remarks came amid allegations of voter intimidation and violence raised by opposition parties participating in the election. Candidates of both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of harassment and intimidation at some polling units.
While stressing that the allegations remained unverified, Oyetunji cautioned against drawing conclusions without proper investigations by relevant authorities. He noted that election periods often generate competing claims and counterclaims from political actors seeking advantage.
The observer also rejected the notion of a “small election,” arguing that every electoral contest in Nigeria carries significant political importance and can become fiercely contested.
According to him, past experiences across the country have shown that even elections in states with relatively smaller voter populations can become highly contentious because of the determination of political stakeholders to secure victory.
The Ekiti governorship election featured 14 candidates, with incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the APC seeking a second term amid reports of low voter turnout, isolated violence, and allegations of vote buying in some parts of the state.
