By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to 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 warned that inaccurate reporting, manipulated videos, misleading headlines and unverified polling unit figures could threaten the peaceful conduct of the election and erode public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The warning was issued on Tuesday during the INEC Media Stakeholders’ Forum held in Ado-Ekiti for media executives, editors, reporters and on-air personalities ahead of the governorship poll.
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, described the media as a critical stakeholder in safeguarding electoral integrity.
He expressed concern over the growing circulation of false election information across social media and unverified digital 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 journalists and on-air personalities against amplifying unverified claims in the rush to break news, stressing that sensational reporting could create panic, discourage voter participation 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, noting that the accreditation portal would automatically close at midnight on June 7, 2026.
He urged media organisations yet to apply for accreditation to utilise the remaining window before the deadline.
According to him, the governorship election will take place across the 16 Local Government Areas, 117 Registration Areas/Wards and 2,445 Polling Units in Ekiti State, while 13 political parties are expected to participate in the exercise.
Dr. Omoseyindemi further stated that INEC had substantially completed major preparatory activities for the election, including the publication of the final list of candidates and presentation of the final register of voters to political parties.
He assured stakeholders that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would be fully deployed to guarantee transparency in voter accreditation and result management.
The REC also disclosed that non-sensitive election materials had largely been procured, while sensitive materials were already at the final stage of production.
He said recruitment and screening of ad hoc staff had been completed, adding that training would commence shortly.
On voter participation, Dr. Omoseyindemi announced that collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) would begin at Registration Areas from June 4 to June 8 and continue at Local Government offices from June 9 to June 11, 2026.
Earlier, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the forum was organised to strengthen collaboration between INEC and the media ahead of the election.
She explained that the engagement was aimed at providing journalists with 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 serious threats to credible and peaceful elections.
“The greatest threat to a peaceful election today is often not physical violence, but information pollution,” he stated.
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 (NUJ) in Ekiti State, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, said the union had introduced measures to tackle fake news and improve accountability among online journalists operating in the state.
He assured the Commission of the union’s commitment to ethical journalism and responsible election coverage.
The one-day stakeholders’ forum featured technical briefings from INEC’s ICT, Electoral Operations and Legal Services departments on the deployment of BVAS, the IReV portal, operational logistics and provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 ahead of the governorship election.
