By Nigerian Fact Checkers Coalition
AHEAD of the Ekiti State 2026 Governorship Election slated for Saturday, June 20, 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 gubernatorial poll.
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CLAIM 1
Roundoff News, a news blog, has claimed (archived) that the Zenith Labour Party candidate, Victor Adetunji, has stepped down and endorsed the incumbent Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
FINDINGS
The Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC) spoke with Yahaya Makama, the National Secretary of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Makama confirmed the claim to be true but noted that the ZLP was not consulted before the candidate, Victor Adetunji, stepped down and endorsed Oyebanji.
“We didn’t endorse it here, and at the national level. We don’t know anything, as far as we are concerned. We are not aware of it, and we don’t endorse it. He did it without the consent of the national level.”
Makama added that the candidate’s action is the reason the party took action against its state chairperson, and the party does not endorse the All Progressives Congress candidate.
Yinka Oyebode, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, also confirmed Adetunji stepped down and has shown support for Oyebanji.
VERDICT: CORRECT
SOURCE: Yahaya Makama, ZLP National Secretary and Chief Press Secretary to Ekiti State governor, Yinka Oyebode.
DATE: June 18, 2026
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Muktar Balogun
EDITORS: Lois Ugbede, Opeyemi Kehinde, and Simbiat Bakare.
CLAIM 2
CLAIM: A Facebook user shared an image (archived here) claiming it shows Ekiti residents collecting food items from politicians ahead of the June 20, 2026, gubernatorial elections.
FINDINGS: Google Reverse Image Search results linked the image to a separate event, which took place in Oyo State on June 9, 2026. Sahara Reporters, Lagelu FM and Punch explained that the image showed some Oyo residents expressing their support for Sharafa Alli, an APC politician, after he distributed 1kg sachets of Semovita during a political outreach.
VERDICT: Misleading
SOURCE: Sahara Reporters, Lagelu FM and Punch.
DATE: June 19, 2026
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Sunday Awosoro
EDITORS: Bamas Victoria & Simbiat Bakare
CLAIM 3
CLAIM: A Facebook user shared an image (archived here) claiming it shows Ekiti residents collecting food items from politicians ahead of the June 20, 2026, gubernatorial elections.
FINDINGS: Google Reverse Image Search results linked the image to a separate event, which took place in Oyo State on June 9, 2026. Sahara Reporters, Lagelu FM and Punch explained that the image showed some Oyo residents expressing their support for Sharafadeen Alli, an APC politician, after he distributed 1kg sachets of Semovita during a political outreach.
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCE: Sahara Reporters, Lagelu FM and Punch.
DATE: June 19, 2026
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Sunday Awosoro
EDITORS: Bamas Victoria & Simbiat Bakare
CLAIM 4
The Nation Newspaper claimed that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has withdrawn support for its governorship candidate, Peter Obafemi, and adopted incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
FINDINGS: The Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC) found several reports stating that the SDP, at the state level, has rallied support and aligned its structure with the APC to support the governor’s re-election bid.
However, in a statement reported by TVC News and The Independent Newspaper, the SDP national leadership publicly distanced itself from the statement. The National Organising Secretary, Dr Uchechukwu Chukwuma Ogbonna, assured members of the party that they remain behind the party’s candidate, Peter Olugbenga Obafemi.
Obafemi also reaffirmed his position as one of the people’s options at the polls. He said this while discussing his plans for the people of Ekiti on the TVC News YouTube page on Thursday, 18 June 2026.
Despite the intra-party dispute in SDP, INEC told the NFC that the party remains on the ballot and that votes cast for the party will be recorded.
VERDICT: MISLEADING
SOURCE: TVC News, The Independent Newspaper and INEC
DATE: 19 June 2026
FACT CHECK AUTHOR: Muktar Balogun
EDITORS: Bamas Victoria & Lois Ugbede
