Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti
Election Context and Readiness
As Ekiti State prepares for its governorship election on Saturday, 20 June 2026, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, candidates, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations, and voters to uphold the principles of peace, transparency, inclusivity, and electoral integrity throughout the electoral process.
This election presents an important opportunity to reinforce public confidence in democratic institutions and demonstrate the capacity of Nigeria's electoral system to deliver credible outcomes that reflect the will of the people. At a time when democratic governance faces growing challenges across West Africa, the conduct of a peaceful, free, fair, and credible election in Ekiti State will serve as a powerful reminder that democracy remains the most legitimate means through which citizens choose their leaders and hold them accountable. With the 2027 General Elections on the horizon, the Ekiti Governorship Election is more than a state-level contest; it is a critical test of electoral preparedness, institutional resilience, and citizens' trust in the democratic process. The lessons drawn from this election will have significant implications for strengthening electoral integrity and democratic participation in the lead-up to the next national electoral cycle.
A total of 1,028,929 of the 1,059,360 registered voters who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are expected to participate across 16 Local Government Areas, 177 registration areas, and 2,445 polling units. Fourteen candidates are contesting the election, including incumbent Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (APC), Oluyede Oluwole (PDP), Opeyemi Falegan (A), Omotosho Matthew Olu (AA), Olajuyin Ikusayede Gbegbe Oyebanji (LP), Abegunde Ayobami Blessing (NNPP); Akande Oluwasegun Samuel (AAC), Bejide Oluwadare Patrick (ADC), Ayodeji Ojo (ADP), Anifowose Joseph Olanrewaju (APM) Awogbemi Bidemi Olaiya (APP), Ayodele Olaniyi Olanrewaju Praise(PRP), Osinkolu Olusegun Ayodele (YPP), and Adetunji Victor Damilola (ZLP). Notably, no political party nominated a woman as its governorship candidate. Women were represented only as deputy governorship candidates, with four parties - the ADP, APC, APM, and PRP -- fielding female running mates
Voter register membership appears to have increased from the 2023 baseline. INEC disclosed that the verified Register of Voters comprises 1,059,360 registered citizens, an increase from 987,647 in 2023, following the successful addition of 66,664 new registrants captured during Phases I and II of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
CJID'S Deployment
CJID, through its Media and National Elections (MiNE) project, has deployed observers across the 16 local governments in Ekiti. In collaboration with Premium Times, Journalists have also been assigned to report and monitor the elections across the three senatorial districts in the State. In addition to its field deployment, a situation room has also been activated for real-time coordination, analysis, and media support. This will include fact-checkers from its information verification platform - DUBAWA, researchers from the Digital Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Information Disorder Analysis Centre (DIADAC), as well as experts across its Accountability, Conflict and Journalism teams who would monitor the election in terms of fact-checking, digital misinformation and analysis, track attacks on journalists and conflict patterns.
CJID reaffirms its commitment to free, fair, and inclusive elections as the cornerstone of Nigeria's democratic resilience. It urges all actors - INEC, security agencies, political parties, the media, and citizens to uphold transparency, professionalism, and respect for the rule of law.
Information Ecosystem and Social Media Analysis
There have been traces of AI-generated disinformation ahead of the elections, appearing to target the credibility of the media, some political parties, and aspects of INEC's processes.
An AI-generated image falsely claimed that the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) had endorsed a candidate ahead of Saturday's polls. The NUJ has since debunked these claims, reaffirming its commitment to objectivity.
Additionally, there have been narratives fueling voter apathy and anxiety. In one instance, social commentator Isaac Fayose shared a video claiming that an unnamed insider informed him that a former governor of Ekiti State had allegedly imported 5,000 thugs from Ibadan into Ekiti State ahead of Saturday's governorship election. Although there is no clear evidence to support this claim, reactions from online users suggest it may be triggering voter reluctance and fears of possible violence during the elections.
There is also a growing narrative on Facebook and X that "these elections will be rigged," in reference to the Saturday polls. This remains an emerging trend, and DAIDAC will continue to monitor its spread.
Fact-checking and Media Coalitions
As part of its commitment to promoting credible and evidence-based election reporting, the CJID, through its information verification platform DUBAWA, and members of the Nigeria Fact-Checking Coalition (NFC), will continue to verify information and counter misinformation during the Ekiti Governorship Election. This collaborative fact-checking operation will be coordinated from the CJID Election Observatory in Abuja, where a joint verification team will monitor narratives online and offline, investigate viral claims, and publish verified information in real time. The Election Observatory was activated on Thursday, June 17, 2026.
CJID has also expanded its media coalition to 47 members who will use verified data from the observers in the 16 LGAs to enhance the quality, depth, and accuracy of media reporting during the upcoming elections.
Security Situation and Election Preparedness
The CJID is not unaware of the security situation across the country, including pockets of unrest in Ekiti State. The state's geographic location compounds this concern, sharing borders with Ondo, Osun, Kwara, and Kogi States - all of which have faced their local governments as flashpoints requiring heightened vigilance. Ado-Ekiti, Effon, Ekiti South West, Ikere, Irepodun/Ifelodun, and Oye have been classified as vulnerable to political thuggery and ballot disruption, while Emure, Ikole, Ilejemeje, Moba, and Oye carry additional concerns around kidnapping and asymmetric security threats, including 469 polling units located within a 500-metre radius of flagged risk locations. INEC has reassured stakeholders of its readiness to mitigate these risks by working with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). The Commission has also stated that it has secured the involvement of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to guard against vote-buying and financial inducement at polling units, while the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies have pledged full deployment and professional conduct throughout the process.
Beyond physical threats, misinformation and disinformation have been identified as a major security concern. Their spread is capable of heightening fear and tension among residents in the lead-up to, and on, election day. Independent civil society assessments have similarly identified widespread disinformation and the spread of divisive narratives as a key threat to the integrity of the process.
In direct response to this layered threat environment, CJID has deployed security and conflict experts as part of its comprehensive election observation effort. These experts will track journalist attacks, voter intimidation, hate speech, and online incitement in real time, monitoring both physical flashpoints and the digital information environment for patterns that could signal or trigger electoral violence.
Research and Evidence-Based Insights
In March, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) conducted a youth-focused survey to better understand the priorities, concerns, and motivations of young people in Ekiti and Osun States. The Youth Perception Survey explored the key political issues shaping the attitudes of young people and first-time voters ahead of upcoming elections. The survey, which received responses from 4,169 young people across the two states, revealed strong political interest among citizens aged 18 to 35. However, this interest will not translate into electoral participation, as 54.3 per cent of respondents indicated that they were not registered to vote.
Building on these findings, CJID convened a town hall meeting in Ekiti, bringing together over 100 young people for civic and voter education aimed at strengthening their participation in democratic processes. The insights generated from both the survey and the town hall will be critical in assessing youth engagement during Saturday's election and understanding the role young people are likely to play in shaping Nigeria's political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Call to Action
This election presents another opportunity for citizens to renew their faith in institutions and reinforce democratic accountability, especially as the 2027 General Elections approach. Credible elections remain the foundation of legitimacy, peace, and stability.
- CJID calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to demonstrate transparency, professionalism, and responsiveness throughout the electoral process.
- The Commission should ensure the effective deployment and functionality of all election technologies, provide timely information to stakeholders, and maintain transparency in the collation and declaration of results to strengthen public confidence in the outcome of the election.
- We urge security agencies to discharge their responsibilities with the highest standards of professionalism, neutrality, and respect for human rights. Security personnel should create a safe environment for voters, election officials, observers, and journalists, while avoiding actions that may be perceived as intimidating, partisan, or excessive.
- We call on political parties and candidates to place the interests of democracy and the people of Ekiti State above partisan considerations. All contestants should commit to peaceful conduct, discourage inflammatory rhetoric, and pursue any grievances through established legal and constitutional mechanisms.
- We encourage the media and civil society organisations to continue playing their vital role in promoting electoral integrity through accurate reporting and the timely verification of information.
- We appeal to traditional and community leaders to leverage their influence to promote peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and respect for democratic values before, during, and after the election.
- We call on the people of Ekiti State to participate peacefully and responsibly in the electoral process. Citizens should reject vote buying, violence, hate speech, and misinformation, and exercise their democratic right to vote.
Partnerships and Collaborative Efforts
CJID's intervention in Ekiti is supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria, with complementary partnership from the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)'s WYDE initiative through Democracy Reporting International (DRI). This joint effort aims to empower young citizens and women with civic and democratic education, strengthen media coordination, rapid response mechanisms, and advance CJID's broader mission to defend democratic accountability, media freedom, and election integrity across Nigeria and West Africa.
About the CJID
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is a non-profit organisation advancing democratic accountability, media freedom, and civic participation in Africa. Through its Media in National Elections (MiNE) project, CJID supports media-led electoral integrity initiatives across West Africa. Its interventions combine research, fact-checking, civic education, and observation to strengthen electoral credibility and citizen engagement. CJID remains committed to promoting informed participation, countering disinformation, and empowering citizens to defend democracy through knowledge, truth, and transparency.
Signed:
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID)
Website: www.thecjid.org
