The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun uploading results from the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election to its Result Viewing (IReV) Portal. Data available on the portal shows that results from 514 of the 2,445 polling units across the state had been uploaded as of the latest update, representing 21.
02 per cent of the total polling units where voting took place. Meanwhile, election observer group Yiaga Africa has raised concerns over alleged inconsistencies involving ballot papers, result sheets and the list of candidates published by INEC.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chair of the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, and Yiaga Africa’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, the organisation noted discrepancies in the Form EC8A polling unit result sheets. According to the group, the result sheets provided spaces for 15 political parties, while the ballot papers in circulation contained 19 parties.
Yiaga Africa further stated that INEC’s final list of candidates, as updated on its website on June 18, 2026, reflected 14 political parties that fielded candidates.
“Yiaga Africa is observing the Ekiti State governorship election, and our preliminary findings raise serious concerns about the consistency of the materials INEC has deployed,” the statement said. The group disclosed that by 8:30 a.m., 96 per cent of its observers assigned to 250 randomly selected polling units had arrived at their designated locations to monitor the election process.
Yiaga Africa acknowledged that the election was being conducted amid changes resulting from court rulings and administrative adjustments that altered party participation after INEC initially published a list of 12 candidates in January 2026. According to the observers, some of these changes may not have been consistently reflected across all election materials distributed for the poll.
The organisation warned that the inconsistencies could create confusion during voting, result recording and collation. “Where result sheets include parties that are not on the ballot, presiding officers may record zero votes for parties that voters did not see. Conversely, where voters cast ballots for parties not reflected on the result sheet, such actions could create uncertainty in recording, reconciliation and collation,” the statement added.
Yiaga Africa called on INEC to immediately clarify the final list of participating parties and candidates and explain any differences between the ballot papers, result sheets and previous announcements.
The group also urged the electoral commission to provide clear written guidance to presiding officers and collation officials on how to complete result sheets in line with the law and relevant court decisions, particularly regarding parties appearing on result sheets but not on ballot papers, and vice versa.
The Ekiti governorship election is being closely monitored by political stakeholders, election observers and voters across the state as results continue to be uploaded to the IReV portal.
