Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned a fraudulent publication circulating online that purports to be a special announcement by the Commission concerning alleged issues affecting the list of governorship candidates in Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano states.
The electoral umpire, in a public notice issued on Monday, described the publication as fake, insisting that it did not originate from the Commission.
The purported notice claimed that issues affecting the list of governorship candidates in the six states would be resolved, with a further update expected on Monday.
The publication, which was designed to resemble an official INEC announcement, reportedly carried the Commission’s logo and was signed in the name of Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the Secretary of INEC.
The document also appeared to have been scanned using CamScanner, a mobile scanning application.
However, INEC moved to distance itself from the publication, warning Nigerians against accepting or circulating the notice as an authentic communication from the electoral body.
In its public notice, the Commission said, “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a fraudulent publication circulating online and purporting to be a special announcement by the Commission regarding issues affecting the list of governorship candidates in six states: Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe, and Kano.”
“The Commission wishes to categorically inform the general public that the publication is FAKE and did not originate from INEC.”
The Commission further clarified that any information suggesting it had issued a special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the six states was false.
INEC urged members of the public to disregard the publication and refrain from sharing it, stressing the importance of obtaining electoral information exclusively through its verified communication channels.
The electoral body directed Nigerians to consult its official website, inecnigeria.org, its Facebook page, INEC Nigeria, and its accounts on X and Instagram, both operating under the handle @inecnigeria.
It also identified the INEC News Portal, inecnews.com, as another source through which members of the public could obtain authentic information about the Commission’s activities.
“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,” the notice added.
INEC called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and verify electoral information before sharing it, warning that fraudulent publications could mislead the public and create confusion about the Commission’s official activities.
The Commission also provided contact channels through which citizens could seek clarification on electoral matters.
These include the INEC Call Centre at 0700-CALL-INEC (0700-2255-4632), the short code 4632, and the telephone numbers 090844444333 and 09050858629.
Members of the public can also send enquiries to iccc@inec.gov.ng or consult the Commission’s official website and news portal.
“The Commission reiterates its commitment to keeping the public accurately informed and urges everyone to disregard the fraudulent publication and obtain electoral information only from INEC’s official communication channels,” the notice stated.
The development comes amid heightened political activities ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, as political parties and prospective candidates prepare for the next electoral cycle.
The circulation of the purported notice has renewed concerns about the spread of false electoral information online, particularly publications designed to resemble official statements from government agencies and electoral authorities.
INEC has repeatedly cautioned Nigerians against the circulation of unverified information and the impersonation of its officials on social media.
The Commission’s latest warning underscores the importance of verifying election-related announcements through established official channels, especially as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general election.