The Director, Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, had described the anti-defection policy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as dubious.

Amadi made this statement on Friday during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He was speaking on the recent anti-defection policy introduced by the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The policy required candidates seeking elective offices on its platform to sign legal documents committing to vacate their positions if they leave the party after winning elections.

Reacting, Amadi said, “I think this NDC’s anti-defection policy is dubious. The psychology and sense in which the party is pushing this act could be considered as a distrust in its candidates and shows weakness.

“Their focus should be on winning the election and the presidency. Once you win the presidency, the people there will stay with you. And so the history says that once you lose, people will likely go for the winner’s party.

“And so, for me, at this point, it quite doesn’t suggest strength, it doesn’t suggest coherence, it rather suggests distrust of their own candidates.

“So, NDC doing this looks like innovation, but in essence, it’s really a sign of lack of trust on those who are taking the ticket, and a sense of its own weakness.”

Voters in Ekiti State will head to the polls today, Saturday, June 20, 2026, to select a governor for another four-year term in an off-cycle governorship election.

As announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, residents of the state have collected their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, essential for casting a ballot in the election.

The latest figures from INEC indicate that 97.1 percent of registered voters in the state have obtained their PVCs and are eligible to participate in the voting process today, Saturday.

Out of a total of 1,059,360 registered voters, 1,028,929 have collected their PVCs, leaving 30,431 PVCs unclaimed.

The frontline candidates seeking for the 1,028,929 votes include the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, flag-bearer, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who aims to secure another four-year term, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Oluwadare Bejide from the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Other candidates in the race are Opeyemi Falegan from Accord, Oyebanji Olajuyin from the Labour Party, Blessing Abegunde from the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Bidemi Awogbemi from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Ayodeji Ojo from the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Samuel Akande from the African Action Congress, AAC, Olaniyi Ayodele from the People’s Redemption Party, PRP, Victor Adetunji from the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and Olu Omotoso from the Action Alliance.

Also contesting are Joseph Anifowose from the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, and Ayodele Osinkolu from the Young Progressive Party.

However, the contest is anticipated to be between the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and the ADC candidate, Oluwadare Bejide.

Stay tuned on this thread for updates and live results from the governorship election.