By Nigerian Fact Checkers Coalition
The Ekiti State 2026 Governorship Election kicks off Saturday morning as voters cast their ballots to elect the next governor for the Southwestern Nigerian state.
Our team of journalists, researchers, fact-checkers, social media monitors, editors, and OSINT experts are on ground at the Nigerian Fact-checkers’ Coalition’s (NFC) Election Situation Rooms to debunk election-related misinformation and disinformation content targeted at causing voter apathy, inciting violence or influencing the outcome of the gubernatorial poll.
CLAIM 1
CLAIM: An X user shared a video claiming unrest in Isan-Ekiti after a man was shot dead ahead of the election.
FINDINGS:
Abayomi Shogunle, Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, confirmed there was unrest on the eve of the election. He claimed it was the result of a football match in the community, not election-related. Observers deployed by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) confirmed that a bus which conveyed police officers from Abuja to Ekiti, two tippers, and the police station were burnt down. While there was unrest, Police and other sources said that it was unrelated to the election.
VERDICT: Partly CORRECT
SOURCE: Ekiti State Police and CJID Election Observers.
CLAIM 2
CLAIM: A Facebook user shares a picture as evidence of massive voter turnout in Ado-Ekiti.
FINDINGS
Manual examination of the image reveals characteristics consistent with AI-generated images. We analysed the image using multiple AI detection tools, such as AI or Not and Deep AI. The results show that the images were 99% and 97% AI-generated, respectively. Also, we used Google Reverse Image Search on the image, but we found no source for it.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
CLAIM 3
CLAIM: An X user claimed (archived here) that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is not involved in financial inducement or vote buying in the Ekiti State 2026 gubernatorial election.
FINDINGS:
The claim is contradicted by field reports and media coverage from the election. A video published by Sahara Reporters captured a resident confirming that votes were indeed being sold at a polling unit. Additionally, Punch Newspaper reported that allegations of vote buying involving APC supporters led to a violent clash with supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), resulting in an injury. A resident contacted by the Nigerian Fact-checkers Coalition also confirmed witnessing vote-buying activities.
VERDICT: INCORRECT
SOURCES: Sahara Reporters and Punch Newspaper.
CLAIM 4
CLAIM: An X user, @DaddyTwinzz, posted photos of a branded sachet of alcohol, claiming it is being used to buy votes in the ongoing Ekiti state election.
FINDINGS: Closer inspection of the photo and a Google Reverse Image Search revealed that the branded sachet gin was used as a campaign material by Hon. Adewale Olatunji during the 2025 Ibadan North By-Elections.
There is no link between the sachet alcohol and the ongoing Ekiti State elections.
VERDICT: Misleading
Sources: Google Reverse Image Search, InsideOyo
