By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned journalists, broadcasters and online media practitioners against the spread of fake news, misinformation and premature declaration of election results ahead of the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026.
The Commission said that inaccurate reporting, manipulated videos, misleading headlines, and unverified polling unit figures posed serious threats to the peaceful conduct of elections and to public confidence in the democratic process.
The warning was issued on Tuesday, May, 26, 2026, at the INEC Media Stakeholders’ Forum held in Ado-Ekiti for media executives, producers, reporters and on-air personalities ahead of the governorship election.
Speaking on behalf of the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ekiti State, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, said the media remained a critical partner in protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
He said the Commission was particularly concerned about the growing spread of false election information on social media and unverified online platforms.
“We call on media executives to establish and activate fact-checking protocols. We call on reporters to verify information from official INEC sources before broadcasting or publishing,” he said.
Dr. Omoseyindemi cautioned on-air personalities against amplifying unverified claims in the race to break news, stressing that sensational reporting could create panic, suppress voter turnout and undermine peace.
“The media is not just an observer in the electoral process; the media is a strategic partner in safeguarding democracy,” he added.
The REC disclosed that 64 media organisations had already applied for accreditation to deploy about 560 journalists to cover the election, while the accreditation portal would automatically close at midnight on June 7, 2026.
He urged media organisations yet to apply to take advantage of the remaining window.
According to him, the Ekiti governorship election will hold across the 16 Local Government Areas, 117 Registration Areas/Wards and 2,445 Polling Units in the state. He also disclosed that 13 political parties would participate in the election.
Speaking further, Dr. Omoseyindemi said the Commission had substantially completed key preparatory activities, including the publication of the final list of candidates and presentation of the final register of voters to political parties.
He stated that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would be deployed to ensure transparency in voter accreditation and result management.
The REC added that non-sensitive election materials had been substantially procured, while sensitive materials were at the final stage of production.
He said recruitment and screening of ad hoc staff had been completed, while training would commence shortly.
Dr. Omoseyindemi also announced that Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection in Ekiti State would begin at the Registration Areas from June 4 to June 8 and continue at Local Government offices from June 9 to June 11, 2026.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the forum was organised to deepen collaboration between INEC and the media ahead of the election.
She said the engagement was designed to provide accurate information on electoral procedures, technology deployment, operational guidelines and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In a goodwill message, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Adedayo Oketola, described fake news and information manipulation as major threats to peaceful elections.
“The greatest threat to a peaceful election today is often not physical violence, but information pollution,” he said.
Oketola warned journalists against sacrificing accuracy for speed, insisting that “speed must never sacrifice accuracy.”
He disclosed that seven out of the nine activities on the Commission’s election timetable had already been completed, adding that INEC was working towards simultaneous opening of all 2,445 polling units in the state by 8:30 a.m. on Election Day.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, said the union had introduced measures to curb fake news and improve accountability among online journalists in the state.
He assured the Commission of the union’s commitment to ethical journalism and responsible election coverage.
The one-day forum brought together media executives, editors, reporters, on-air personalities from across the state ahead of the governorship election.
The forum also featured technical briefings from INEC’s ICT, Electoral Operations, and Legal Services departments on the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, the INEC Result Viewing Portal, operational logistics, and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
