Ekiti voters chase EFCC operatives away from Polling Unit (Video)

There was mild tension at a polling unit in Iyin-Ekiti on Saturday during the Ekiti State governorship election after some voters confronted operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and compelled them to leave the voting area.

The incident occurred at Polling Unit 10, Ward B, while voting was underway in the community.

The anti-graft agency’s operatives were said to have visited the polling centre as part of efforts to monitor and prevent vote-buying, a practice that has remained a major concern in Nigerian elections.

However, their presence triggered objections from some voters at the polling unit, who questioned the basis for the deployment of EFCC personnel to the voting centre.

Witnesses said the situation briefly created tension as aggrieved voters challenged the operatives and insisted there was no evidence of vote-buying or any electoral malpractice at the location to warrant their presence.

The voters reportedly demanded the immediate withdrawal of the officials from the polling area, arguing that their presence could create unnecessary apprehension among electorates exercising their civic rights.

Following the confrontation, the EFCC operatives left the polling unit without resistance.

Tribune reports that despite the brief drama, the electoral process was not disrupted, as voting continued peacefully after the officials departed the scene.

The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of the governorship election, with security agencies and election observers keeping watch for possible incidents of vote-buying and other forms of electoral misconduct across the state.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the EFCC regarding the incident, while voting continued in several parts of Ekiti State under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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