The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed an online publication claiming to be a special announcement on governorship candidates in six states ahead of the 2027 elections.
The commission identified the affected states as Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano, warning that the publication did not originate from the electoral body.
INEC issued the clarification in a public notice on Monday, October 12, 2026, shared through its official social media platforms.
The commission described the circulating document as fake and urged Nigerians to disregard it and avoid sharing the information.
It also advised members of the public to obtain election-related updates from its official website, press releases and verified social media accounts to avoid being misled by false reports.
INEC listed its official website as inecnigeria.org, while its X and Instagram accounts are identified as @inecnigeria. Its Facebook page is INEC Nigeria, and its news portal is inecnews.com.
The commission also provided its contact centre number, 0700-2255-4632, short code 4632, telephone numbers 090844444333 and 09050858629, and email address iccc@inec.gov.ng for enquiries and further clarification.
The warning comes two days after INEC released its final lists of candidates for the governorship elections scheduled for February 6, 2027, amid reports that some candidates were missing from the published documents.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Ladi Adebutu and Isa Pantami, respectively, were among those reported to be missing from the lists released by the commission.
The published documents did not state the reasons for their omission, raising questions about the status of the affected candidates and their participation in the forthcoming elections.
Adebutu is the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, while Pantami is the party’s candidate in Gombe State.
INEC’s latest warning, however, specifically concerns the fake publication claiming to announce information about governorship candidates in the six states. The commission urged Nigerians to verify such information through its recognised communication channels rather than relying on unverified online documents.
The electoral body reiterated its commitment to providing accurate information to the public as preparations continue for the 2027 governorship elections.