Yiaga Africa has raised concerns over alleged inconsistencies in ballot papers, result sheets, and the list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election.
The concerns were contained in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Aisha Abdullahi, Chair of Yiaga Africa’s 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, and its Executive Director, Samson Itodo.
According to the statement, discrepancies were observed in key election materials. While the Form EC8A polling-unit result sheets provide spaces for 15 political parties, the ballot papers in use contain 19 parties, and INEC’s final list of candidates available on its website as of June 18, 2026, reflects only 14 political parties that fielded candidates.
Yiaga Africa noted that the inconsistencies may have arisen from developments that followed INEC’s initial publication of 12 candidates in January 2026.
It cited subsequent court rulings, particularly regarding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidacy, as well as late administrative adjustments that altered party and candidate participation in the election.
The group argued that some of these changes do not appear to have been fully reflected across all election materials and may not have been adequately communicated to the public, thereby creating the potential for confusion during voting and result collation.
It warned that where result sheets contain parties not listed on the ballot papers, presiding officers may record zero votes for parties voters never saw.
Conversely, votes cast for parties appearing on the ballot but absent from result sheets could create challenges in recording, reconciliation, and collation processes.
Yiaga Africa therefore called on INEC to urgently provide a public clarification on the final list of parties and candidates participating in the election and explain any differences between the ballot papers, result sheets, and previous announcements.
The election observation organisation also urged the electoral commission to issue clear written guidelines to presiding and collation officers on how to complete result sheets in line with electoral laws and relevant court judgments, including procedures for handling parties that appear on result sheets but not on ballot papers, and vice versa.
(TheCable)
