INEC moves to tackle misinformation, boost inclusion ahead of Ekiti 2026 poll

By AbdulHakeem Salami

With less than two months to the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has convened a high-level implementation meeting in the state, bringing together departmental heads and key partner agencies to coordinate voter education strategies and sharpen the Commission’s outreach ahead of polling day.

The meeting, jointly organised by INEC’s Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) Division and its Gender and Inclusivity Department, signals a concerted push to address some of the more persistent weaknesses in Nigeria’s electoral participation such as the low turnout in rural communities, the spread of political misinformation, and the continued exclusion of vulnerable groups from the voting process.

Opening the session, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, described the gathering as both timely and necessary. He stressed that no election could be considered credible if large portions of the electorate remained uninformed, he outlined the Commission’s immediate priorities: broadening voter awareness, countering fake news, encouraging peaceful participation, and rebuilding public confidence in a system that has not always enjoyed it.

“Voter education remains the backbone of any credible electoral process,” Dr. Omoseyindemi said. “We must ensure voters are well-informed, misinformation is addressed, and public trust in the electoral system is strengthened.”

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Beyond the mechanics of publicity, the REC raised concerns that go to the heart of democratic participation in Ekiti specifically, the persistent threat of vote-buying, voter apathy among young and first-time voters, and security vulnerabilities in identified flashpoint areas. He called on all stakeholders present to treat these not as abstract institutional problems but as shared responsibilities requiring coordinated, on-the-ground responses.

“Democracy can only be truly representative when no group is left behind,” he stated, calling for deliberate, structural action to bring women, youths, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups into active electoral participation rather than treating inclusion as an afterthought.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) signalled its continued alignment with INEC’s goals. Its Ekiti State Director, Mrs. Oluwakemi Akomolede, confirmed in a goodwill message that the agency has already deployed voter sensitisation campaigns across local government areas in the state, using radio and television platforms to promote civic awareness and peaceful participation, a partnership that predates this election cycle and reflects the institutional infrastructure INEC relies on to reach communities beyond its own staff capacity.

The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, provided a structural overview of the meeting’s purpose, explaining that the joint organisation with the Gender and Inclusivity Department was a deliberate attempt to ensure that outreach strategies are not just designed but implemented with a unified approach that accounts for the different barriers that different communities face.

The Director of Gender and Inclusivity, Mrs. Lakunuya Dorothy, reinforced this point, emphasising that equal access to the ballot must be guaranteed in practice, not merely in policy. She called for proactive removal of both physical accessibility barriers and the deeper sociocultural constraints that disproportionately suppress participation among women and marginalised populations.

Technical sessions led by division heads rounded out the programme, focusing on practical implementation frameworks across voter education, publicity, gender inclusion, and stakeholder engagement. The session was closed by the Deputy Director of Voter Education, Mrs. Iwenjiora Paula, who delivered the vote of thanks.

The test of this meeting is 54 days between now and June 20. Whether the strategies mapped out at this meeting translate into measurable improvements in turnout and public confidence will depend largely on execution at the polling unit.