#EkitiDecides: Yiaga Africa raises alarm over ballot, result sheet discrepancies in Ekiti Poll

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Election observation group, Yiaga Africa, has raised concerns over what it described as significant inconsistencies in election materials deployed for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, warning that the discrepancies could create confusion during voting and result collation.

In a preliminary statement issued on Saturday, the organisation said its observers identified differences between ballot papers, polling-unit result sheets and the final list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Yiaga Africa, 96 per cent of its observers stationed across 250 randomly sampled polling units were present at their assigned locations as of 8:30 a.m. and reported the irregularities during the monitoring exercise.

The group disclosed that the Form EC8A polling-unit result sheets contain spaces for 15 political parties, while ballot papers being used for the election display 19 parties. It further noted that INEC’s final list of candidates, published on its website as of June 18, reflected only 14 political parties that fielded candidates in the election.

Yiaga Africa said the inconsistencies may have arisen from changes that occurred after INEC initially published a list of 12 candidates in January 2026, including court rulings and administrative adjustments affecting party participation, particularly concerning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The organisation, however, expressed concern that the changes were not fully reflected across all election materials and may not have been adequately communicated to the public.

It warned that the discrepancies could complicate the voting and collation process.

According to the group, where result sheets contain political parties that do not appear on ballot papers, presiding officers may be compelled to record zero votes for parties voters did not see. Conversely, votes cast for parties appearing on ballot papers but omitted from result sheets could create uncertainty during recording, reconciliation and collation of results.

To prevent confusion and potential disputes, Yiaga Africa urged INEC to immediately clarify the final list of political parties and candidates participating in the election and explain the differences between the various election materials.

The organisation also called on the electoral commission to provide clear written guidelines to presiding officers and collation officials on how to complete result sheets in line with relevant electoral laws and court judgments, particularly regarding parties appearing on one election document but absent on another.

The statement was signed by Yiaga Africa’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, and Chair of the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi.