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 results ahead of the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.
The Commission said inaccurate reporting, manipulated videos, misleading headlines and unverified polling unit results could threaten the peaceful conduct of the election and erode public confidence in the democratic process.
The warning was issued at the INEC Media Stakeholders’ Forum held in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday for media executives, producers, reporters and on-air personalities ahead of the poll.
Speaking on behalf of the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, described the media as a critical partner in safeguarding the integrity of elections.
He expressed concern over the increasing spread of false election-related 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.
Omoseyindemi cautioned journalists and on-air personalities against amplifying unverified claims in a bid to break news quickly, warning 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 for election coverage, noting that the accreditation portal would close automatically at midnight on June 7, 2026.
He urged media organisations yet to complete the process to do so before the deadline.
According to him, the election will be conducted across the 16 Local Government Areas, 117 Registration Areas or wards, and 2,445 polling units in the state, while 13 political parties are expected to participate.
Omoseyindemi said INEC had substantially completed major preparatory activities, including the publication of the final list of candidates and presentation of the final register of voters to political parties.
He added that the Commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to ensure transparency in voter accreditation and result management.
The REC further disclosed 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 and training would begin shortly.
On voter participation, Omoseyindemi announced that collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ekiti State would commence at Registration Areas from June 4 to June 8 and continue at Local Government offices from June 9 to June 11, 2026.
Also speaking at the forum, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the engagement was organised to strengthen collaboration between the Commission and the media ahead of the election.
She explained that the forum was designed to provide journalists with accurate information on electoral procedures, technology deployment, operational guidelines and provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In a goodwill message, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, 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 urged journalists not to sacrifice accuracy for speed, insisting that “speed must never sacrifice accuracy.”
He revealed 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.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Ekiti State, Kayode Babatuyi, assured INEC of the union’s commitment to ethical journalism and responsible election coverage.
He said the union had introduced measures to curb fake news and improve accountability among online journalists in the state.
The one-day forum featured technical briefings from INEC’s ICT, Electoral Operations and Legal Services departments on the deployment of BVAS, IReV, operational logistics and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 ahead of the governorship election.