By Olugbenga ‘Toye
As preparations intensify for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) has renewed calls for increased youth participation, voter education and resistance to vote buying, amid growing voter apathy.
The call was made on Tuesday during the ‘Ekiti DemTalks’, a civic engagement forum organised by KDI under its Naija Elections project, held at Ado-Ekiti. The forum brought together young people and other stakeholders for interactive discussions and a democracy quiz to testing participants’ knowledge of Nigeria’s electoral system, democratic values and political history.
Speaking with journalists after the event, KDI’s Senior Programme Manager, Mr Abiodun Banjoko, said the initiative was designed to encourage citizens, especially youths, to actively exercise their constitutional right to vote and to embrace technology as a tool for informed civic participation.
According to him, the Naija Elections platform is an AI-powered civic technology solution that provides verified and credible information on electoral procedures, candidates, voter registration, the Electoral Act, the Constitution and election petition processes.
Banjoko explained that the platform was developed to counter the spread of misinformation and disinformation that often characterise election periods, noting that participants at the forum demonstrated keen interest in learning how technology could guide their electoral decisions.
He also warned against voter inducement, describing vote buying as a major threat to credible elections and sustainable democracy. He urged citizens to reject monetary inducements that do not translate into long-term development, such as improved security, infrastructure and good governance.
At the event, winners of the democracy quiz were presented with cash prizes and souvenirs in recognition of informed and active civic engagement.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI), Mr Olajide Funsho Benjamin, urged youths to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate fully in the electoral process, warning that boycotting voting would allow others to determine leadership choices on their behalf.
While acknowledging widespread frustration among young people over insecurity, rising cost of living and distrust in government, Benjamin maintained that elections remain the only legitimate avenue for leadership change. He added that civil society organisations are scaling up voter sensitisation efforts, particularly in rural communities.
In her goodwill message, the Ekiti State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Akomolede Oluwakemi, reminded citizens that artificial intelligence cannot vote on their behalf, stressing that civic responsibility must not be abandoned despite past electoral challenges. She emphasised the need for sustained voter education to rebuild public trust and strengthen democracy in the state.
Earlier in his address, KDI’s Executive Director, Dr Bukola Idowu, thanked participants for attending the programme and encouraged them to maximise the opportunity to learn how to identify and resist misinformation and disinformation during the campaign period, using the Naija Elections platform.
Participants at the forum unanimously agreed that continuous civic engagement and voter education are critical to promoting credible elections and deepening democratic culture in Ekiti State.