INEC debunks fake list of governorship candidates in six states

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed an online publication purporting to be a special announcement on governorship candidates in Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano states.

In a public notice issued on Monday through its official social media platforms, the commission said the publication was fraudulent and urged Nigerians not to circulate it. “The Commission wishes to categorically inform the general public that the publication is FAKE and did not originate from INEC,” the statement read.

INEC advised the public to disregard the document and rely on notices, press releases and information issued through its verified communication channels. “The Commission further wishes to clarify that any information suggesting that INEC has issued a special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the aforementioned states is false,” it added.

The commission urged Nigerians to verify electoral information before sharing it to avoid being misled by fraudulent publications. It listed its official website as inecnigeria.org, its X and Instagram handles as @inecnigeria, its Facebook page as INEC Nigeria and its news portal as inecnews.com.

For enquiries, it provided its call centre number, 0700-2255-4632, short code 4632, telephone numbers 090844444333 and 09050858629, and email address [email protected]. INEC reiterated its commitment to keeping the public accurately informed and encouraged Nigerians to obtain electoral information through its official channels.

The warning came two days after the commission published its final candidate lists for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections. The names of the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Ladi Adebutu and Isa Pantami, were absent from the lists published on Saturday, October 10. The documents did not explain the omissions.