By Ayodele Oni
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 13 political parties are on the ballot paper for the June 20 off season governorship election in Ekiti state.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mallam Mohammed Kudu, spoke at INEC Forum for Media Executives, in Ado-Ekiti as part of preparations for the off-cycle governorship poll.
He described the Ekiti governorship election as an important political test ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kudu noted that the election would be conducted across the state’s 16 local government areas, 177 wards, and 2,445 polling units, with 13 political parties expected to participate.
According to him, the election is coming at a time of growing concerns over voter apathy, vote buying, political violence, misinformation, and declining public confidence in democratic institutions.
Kudu called on media organisations to intensify voter education in English, Yoruba, and other local dialects, particularly on the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and voting procedures.
He also reminded journalists of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 regarding balanced coverage, election-day broadcast restrictions, and penalties for vote buying and other electoral offences.
In his welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, called for stronger collaboration with media professionals in the fight against fake news, misinformation, and hate speech ahead of the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election.
He described the media as a critical partner in protecting democracy, stressing that the credibility of any election depends largely on accurate, balanced, and professional reporting.
Omoseyindemi disclosed that INEC had intensified preparations for the election through voter education, logistics planning for sensitive and non-sensitive materials, training of election personnel, and continuous engagement with security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, and transport unions to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive electoral process.
He, however, expressed concern over the increasing spread of fake news, manipulated videos, misleading headlines, and unverified election reports, warning that such misinformation could create panic, erode public trust, and threaten electoral peace.
He urged media executives, reporters, producers, and on-air personalities to verify election-related information with INEC before publication or broadcast, amplify official voter education messages, promote issue-based campaigns, and avoid sensational or inflammatory reports capable of heating up the polity.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, explained that the forum was organised to strengthen collaboration between INEC and media professionals, provide updates on election preparations, and clarify electoral processes, timelines, and legal frameworks.
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