The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced a Training of Trainers workshop as part of preparations for the 2026 Ekiti and Osun off-cycle governorship elections and bye-elections across six states.
The programme is being coordinated by The Electoral Institute in Abuja and brings together selected election management personnel ahead of the polls scheduled for June 2026 and subsequent bye-elections.
According to election officials, the two-day workshop is designed to equip participants with standardized training methods to prepare ad hoc staff and other election officials for deployment during the elections.
The commission said effective training remains central to credible and peaceful elections, noting that the quality of election officials deployed to the field depends on the capacity of trainers.
Participants are being trained on electoral procedures, operational guidelines, ethics, use of technology, conflict prevention and inclusive election practices.
The INEC Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, said preparations had advanced with the configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and recruitment of ad hoc staff through the INECPRES portal.
He also disclosed that risk assessments in Ekiti State identified multiple flashpoints vulnerable to thuggery, kidnapping, cultism and ballot snatching, with 469 polling units mapped for enhanced security attention.
Amupitan warned against vote buying and said the commission was working with anti-corruption agencies to arrest and prosecute offenders.
National Commissioner Dr. Ken Ukeagu said electoral risk assessments had provided key insights into security threats and called for stronger coordination among security agencies.
He expressed confidence that improved collaboration among stakeholders would ensure credible elections across the affected states.
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