Ekiti Election Seen as 2027 Test Case, INEC Warns Against Day‑of‑Election Disinformation

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado‑Ekiti

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the upcoming Ekiti State governorship election will serve as a crucial test of Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections. The commission warned that election‑day disinformation, fake news and the spread of unverified results pose significant threats to the credibility of the democratic process.

INEC National Chairman Joash Ojo Amupitan made the remarks in Ado‑Ekiti while briefing journalists and stakeholders about the commission’s preparedness for the June 20 governorship poll.

Amupitan said the election would allow electoral stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness of existing systems, technologies and security arrangements before the nationwide elections in 2027.

According to him, the poll is more than a state election; it will serve as a vital benchmark for strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“This election is a critical diagnostic milestone for our institutions ahead of 2027. It offers us the opportunity to test our systems, evaluate our preparedness and reinforce confidence in the integrity of the electoral process,” he said.

The INEC chairman expressed concern over the growing spread of misinformation and fake news during elections, warning that the dissemination of false information could erode public trust and fuel unnecessary tension.

“We cannot approach this process with bias, or we risk weakening the institution entrusted with conducting elections. Fake news and manufactured election‑day panic are not valid reasons to question electoral outcomes,” he stated.

Amupitan urged journalists and media organisations to uphold professional standards by verifying information before publication, stressing that responsible reporting would be critical to the success of the election.

To deepen transparency, he said INEC had streamlined accreditation procedures for journalists and election observers to enable real‑time monitoring of the process and ensure prompt access to verified information.

The commission also reassured Nigerians that no election result would be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) without undergoing thorough verification, saying: “We will not upload results we cannot verify. Every result that gets to IReV must pass through the necessary validation process. Accuracy and credibility remain our priorities.”

Addressing concerns about delays in result transmission, Amupitan explained that uploads are dependent on the completion of collation processes and network availability in various locations.

He noted that results from some polling units may be ready before transmission but would only be uploaded after all necessary checks have been completed.

“In areas without network coverage, transmission can only take place when officials move to locations with connectivity. Such delays should not be misconstrued as manipulation or grounds for discrediting the process,” he added.

On operational readiness, the INEC chairman disclosed that a recent mock accreditation exercise conducted across selected polling units in Ekiti State recorded impressive results, with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) authenticating voters within five to seven seconds.

He added that backup BVAS devices and technical support teams had been deployed across the state to promptly address any technical issues that may arise on election day.

Amupitan further assured the media that voting would commence simultaneously at all 2,445 polling units across the state by 8:30 a.m.

The commission, he said, had also intensified collaboration with security agencies through the Inter‑Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to guarantee a peaceful exercise.

According to him, between 469 and 500 polling units identified as vulnerable or situated close to flashpoints have been mapped out for enhanced security coverage.

“No matter how credible an election is, adequate security is essential. Our priority is to protect voters, election officials, observers and members of the media,” he said.

Amupitan revealed that about 1,000 candidates nationwide are currently under vote‑buying and vote‑tracing surveillance protocols, although he clarified that INEC lacks powers of arrest or prosecution, noting that such responsibilities rest with agencies such as the DSS, EFCC and the Police.

He also announced that 14 political parties had been cleared to participate in the Ekiti governorship election, while voter registration and candidate interaction activities had been extended to Sunday to encourage greater participation and prevent voter disenfranchisement.

Warning against the dangers of disinformation, the INEC chairman recalled previous elections where old videos and misleading content were recycled as current events, creating panic and attracting unnecessary local and international attention.

He cited an instance where a human error in the collation process resulted in a discrepancy in a polling unit tally, noting that INEC’s validation mechanism detected and corrected the mistake before it could affect the integrity of the results.

“It was one polling unit out of thousands. The error was identified, corrected and the process remained intact. That is evidence that our safeguards are working,” he said.

Amupitan called on political parties, security agencies, journalists and voters to play constructive roles in ensuring a peaceful, transparent and credible election.

“The election must be peaceful, credible and timely. Every stakeholder has a responsibility to protect the integrity of the process and strengthen our democracy,” he said.