Yiaga Africa has raised concerns about discrepancies between the ballot papers, result sheets, and the list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the ongoing 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti State.
The group stated this in its preliminary findings about the ongoing electoral exercise in the southwest state.
“Yiaga Africa preliminary findings identified inconsistencies between the ballot papers, the result sheets, and the list of candidates published by INEC,” the group stated in a statement signed by Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, Chair, 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, Yiaga Africa, and Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Yiaga Africa.
It specifically stated that the Form EC8A for polling unit result sheets provides spaces for 15 political parties, but the ballot papers in circulation carry 19 parties, while INEC’s final list of candidates, available on the INEC website as of 18th June 2026, reflects 14 parties that fielded candidates.
Yiaga Africa noted that after INEC published its initial list of 12 candidates in January 2026, subsequent court rulings (notably on the PDP’s candidacy) and late administrative changes altered party and candidate participation. However, these changes, it said, were not reflected across all election materials.
“These inconsistencies might create confusion during voting and collation,” Yiaga Africa warned.
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Continuing, it said: “Where result sheets include parties that are not on the ballot, presiding officers may record zero votes for parties that voters did not see. Conversely, where voters cast ballots for parties not reflected on the result sheet, such actions could create uncertainty in recording, reconciliation, and collation.”
The group therefore called on INEC to urgently clarify the final list of parties and candidates and explain any differences between the ballot papers, result sheets, and earlier announcements.
It also demanded that the electoral body should “Issue clear written instructions to presiding and collation officers on completing result sheets consistently with the law and relevant court judgments, including how to treat parties on the result sheet but not on the ballot and vice versa.”
