Ekiti Decides: Police Warn Against Unauthorised Publication Of Election Results

The Nigeria Police Force, Ekiti State Command, has warned individuals, political parties and other actors against the unauthorised publication of election results ahead of Saturday's governorship election in Ekiti State, stressing that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the constitutional authority to declare election outcomes.

The police also dismissed concerns over possible ballot box snatching, assuring residents that robust security arrangements, including restrictions on vehicular movement and the strategic deployment of security personnel, have been put in place to safeguard the integrity of the poll.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of security for the Ekiti Governorship Election, Abayomi Shogunle, gave the warning on Friday while briefing journalists in Ado-Ekiti, less than 24 hours before voters head to the polls.

Shogunle said the Electoral Act 2026 clearly criminalises the unauthorised announcement of election results and warned that anyone found disseminating fake or unofficial results would be arrested and prosecuted.

"The Electoral Act is very clear on certain conducts that constitute electoral offences. One of them is announcing unofficial election results.

"It is INEC that has the statutory power to declare election results, and it is only what INEC declares that everybody should disseminate.

"We are also going to be looking for people who declare election results that are not correct.

"The simple answer to that is yes, we are also using technology. But again, I don't want to reveal those technologies so that people will not try to circumvent these actions.

"On ballot box snatching, as part of the security arrangements we have put in place, we have adopted measures to deter and apprehend anyone attempting to snatch or destroy ballot boxes.

"One of these measures is the restriction of vehicular movement. Apart from the exempted categories of persons already announced, nobody will be allowed to move around with vehicles, motorcycles or any mechanically propelled means of transportation on election day.

"We are also deploying police personnel to strategic locations because anyone intending to cause trouble must come from somewhere and move towards the polling units where such acts may occur.

"Likewise, after committing such acts, they would need to leave for another location. We have therefore put measures in place at strategic points to prevent such incidents from happening."