INEC’s accreditation under scrutiny as Edo APC chair spotted as election observer at Ekiti Polls

Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti – The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) accreditation process, designed to safeguard public trust in elections through neutral and independent oversight, has come under fresh criticism after reports emerged that a sitting state party chairman was granted observer status during Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election.

Photos and social media posts circulated widely showing Jarret Tenebe, the APC Chairman in Edo State, wearing an INEC-accredited observer vest at polling units in Ekiti on June 20.

The development has ignited debate over conflict of interest and the enforcement of non-partisanship standards in election observation.

“INEC’s accreditation process is meant to safeguard trust in elections. However, when politically exposed individuals are granted observer status, it sends a troubling signal that the boundaries meant to protect neutrality are not being strictly enforced. This not only fuels suspicion but also weakens public confidence in the integrity of the process.”, MonITNG wrote

MonITNG described the move as “deeply concerning,” noting that election observation must be anchored on neutrality, independence, and strict non-partisanship.

It argued that allowing a senior political actor with direct stakes in party structures to serve in an observer role during a competitive governorship poll contradicts the spirit of impartial oversight even if presented as civic engagement or party representation.

The Commission’s framework stresses that observers must operate independently, without political affiliation that could compromise their impartiality, as accredited individuals typically represent these groups and are expected to uphold codes of conduct emphasising neutrality.

Political party agents operate under a separate framework and are not classified as independent observers.

The appearance of an active state party chairman in observer attire has therefore raised questions about how such accreditations are vetted and whether sufficient safeguards exist to prevent politically exposed persons from blurring these lines.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti governorship election itself proceeded largely peacefully, with voting ending on schedule and collation ongoing as of Sunday morning.

Early unofficial tallies indicated a strong lead for incumbent APC Governor Biodun Oyebanji. However, the observer controversy has shifted some public attention from the results to questions of process integrity.

INEC has not yet issued a public response to the specific claims regarding Tenebe’s accreditation.