Tension flared at Polling Unit 4, Ward 2, Ilawe Ekiti on Saturday, June 20, 2026, as supporters of the All Progressives Congress APC and African Democratic Congress ADC clashed during the Ekiti governorship election.
The confrontation started after ADC governorship candidate Mr Dare Bejide accused some individuals of arriving at the polling unit with money meant for vote buying. Bejide, who voted at the same unit, told journalists that one woman came with cash in a sack but was intercepted by his team. He said the woman called the council chairman, who later showed up at the scene.
Bejide further alleged that an APC chieftain arrived near the polling area in a Toyota Jeep carrying a large sum of money. That claim triggered a heated argument between both parties which briefly escalated into a physical altercation. During the chaos, one of Bejide’s aides was injured and rushed to hospital.
The ADC candidate also alleged assault by men he described as “fake policemen” who arrived with a political office holder named Makinde. Bejide claimed the men beat his driver, saying “There’s blood all over his body”, and harassed his security team. He said the incident started after his team resisted an attempt to distribute money at the polling booth.
Despite the clash, Bejide commended the conduct of INEC officials. He described the overall process as orderly and said electoral personnel were diligent. “The electoral personnel have been very diligent, and everything is going on very well,” he stated. Calm was restored shortly after the commotion.
The Ekiti 2026 governorship election has 14 candidates contesting across different parties. Security agencies had earlier warned that vote buying, ballot snatching and violence will attract immediate arrest and prosecution.
