The Ekiti State Government has declared Friday, June 19, 2026, a work-free day for public servants and civil servants ahead of the governorship election scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 20.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, who said Governor Biodun Oyebanji approved the holiday to enable workers travel to their respective voting locations and participate fully in the electoral process.
According to the government, the decision is intended to encourage wider voter participation and ensure that eligible residents are able to exercise their civic responsibility during the election.
A circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment, Dr. Funke Ajibola, stated that the directive applies to public sector workers across the state.
However, the government clarified that essential service providers are exempt from the holiday and must continue operations as usual.
The exemption covers hospitals, health centres, fire service departments and other critical agencies whose services are required to remain available to the public throughout the election period.
“All heads of the exempted institutions are to make necessary duty arrangements to ensure continuous service delivery. Chief Executive Officers and Accounting Officers are to ensure compliance with this circular and give it the widest publicity within their respective organisations,” the statement read.
The state government also directed relevant agencies to ensure proper coordination and adequate staffing so that essential services remain uninterrupted during the work-free day.
The governorship election is expected to attract significant voter participation as residents head to polling units across the state to elect their next governor.
Authorities have urged eligible voters to conduct themselves peacefully and comply with electoral guidelines to ensure a free, fair and credible election process.
