This live fact-checking effort seeks to curb the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and political propaganda that often cloud Nigeria’s electoral processes. By scrutinising information regarding the election as it emerges, the coalition aims to promote fact-based political discourse, minimise tensions driven by false narratives, enhance voter awareness, and uphold a transparent and credible election.
At a time when Nigeria faces increasing threats from fake news and manipulative content, the NFC’s proactive approach is a crucial safeguard for democracy. It empowers citizens with verified information, ensuring that electoral choices are guided by truth rather than deception.
Stay tuned as our team brings you verified insights and real-time updates from the NFC’s fact-checking situation rooms.
Live Check Updates
Claim: An X user @mr_niceguy234 claimed that Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has declared a public holiday on Friday, November 7, 2025, because teachers are to serve as delegates during the election.
Findings: News reports confirm that the Anambra State government had declared Friday a public holiday for all workers in the state, not only teachers. In a statement, the state government said the directive aimed to encourage workers to participate actively in the elections.
NFC observer Mboho Eno of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development could not confirm the assertion of teachers serving as delegates. The claimant has also deleted the tweet.
Source: TheCable, Election Observers
Verdict: Misleading
Claim: A Facebook post urging votes for the Labour Party claims, “All you need is your voter’s card, index finger, and ballot paper,” with a graphic saying, “Use the index finger to vote.”
Findings: The 2023 election voting procedure document does not specify any finger for voting. Also, ahead of the 2019 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) addressed claims about which finger should be used for voting. In a tweet on February 12, 2019, INEC clarified: “A voter can use any finger to vote but must ensure the mark is clear and placed inside the box of the chosen political party without straying into another box.”
Source: INEC
Verdict: Misleading
Claim: A Facebook user claimed that security operatives in Anambra State have uncovered how Ukachukwu Nicholas, APC candidate in Saturday’s Anambra governorship election, planned to use fake police and thugs to disrupt polls in Nnewi South & North, Ihala, and Onitsha South local government areas.
Findings: The Anambra State Police Command dismissed the allegation. Its spokesperson, Ikenga Anthony, refuted the claim. Further checks showed that several media outlets reported on Friday that robust security arrangements had been made to ensure a peaceful election in Anambra. For example, Channels Television noted the deployment of heavy security to escort election materials across LGAs, while The Punch reported tight security in Awka as residents prepared to vote on Saturday.
Source: Police, Channels TV and Punch newspaper
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user claims that Anambra’s voter turnout has hardly exceeded 22% in any election.
Findings: An analysis by Premium Times of past Anambra voter turnout reveals that in the 1999 election, 1.02 million of the 2.2 million registered voters participated, representing a turnout of 46.4%. Similarly, the state recorded 47.22% turnout in the 2003 election. These findings also align with a recent report published by the Guardian newspaper.
Source: Premium Times, Guardian newspaper
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user asserts that Charles Soludo removed Arabic inscriptions on banknotes in Nigeria when he was the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Findings: A review of multiple media reports shows that the Nigerian government removed the Arabic (Ajami-derived) phrases on the lower domination of the bank notes in February 2007, citing a move to deepen national unity. Additionally, a check on the official website of the nation’s apex bank reveals that Soludo was the governor of the CBN in Nigeria at the time the shift was made.
Source: TheCable, New Yorker and CBN
Verdict: Misleading
Claim: An X user claims that a governorship election was held somewhere in Anambra two days ago.
Findings: The “United States of Biafra Government,” now coordinated by Ngozi Orabueze after the arrest of Simon Ekpa in Finland, organised what they described as a county governorship election on November 4th, 2025.
The secessionist group had previously issued threats to prevent any Nigerian-led elections in Anambra State. However, days before the scheduled November 8th election, the group instead proceeded to conduct its own poll in rural communities around Anambra.
While recent videos showed that this event occurred, it had no connection to the November 8 election, which is being coordinated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Source: X videos, INEC
Verdict: Correct
Claim: An X user, Biafra First Son, claimed that Anambra’s governorship election will feature Nigeria’s first real-time result dashboard powered with artificial intelligence.
Findings:
Multiple media platforms revealed that the AI-powered dashboard, built by SoftSmart Enterprise Solutions, will read and process official result forms (EC8A) uploaded to the INEC’s IReV from 5,720 polling units across 326 electoral wards in the state. The process will last approximately 30 seconds, with an accuracy rate of 95%. The system also includes an Election Night Analytics Suite, which will generate trend projections, regional performance breakdowns, and turnout estimates using live data.
Source: Daily Trust, Punch Newspaper
Verdict: Correct
Claim: A Facebook user claims that the November 8, 2025, Anambra State governorship election will be held in 5,118 out of 5,200 polling units in the state.
Findings: Multiple media reports quoted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, as saying, “the election will be held in 5,718 of the 5,720 Polling Units in the state. Voting will not take place in the remaining two Polling Units due to the absence of registered voters.”
Source: INEC, Thisday, Channels TV
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: Michael Chibuz, in a Facebook group of over 85,000 members, claimed (archived) that two of Chukwuma Soludo’s Mayors were caught with N750 million cash each.
Findings: In October 2024, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo swore in 21 local government chairpersons referred to as mayors. The Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition found no reports confirming such an arrest, and the Anambra State Police Command said the claim is false. Police Spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga informed the coalition that police patrol groups across the state had not reported such an incident.
Source: Nigeria Police
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user @Ojay147 posted a picture of a man who sustained an injury on his head with the hashtag #anambradecides2025.
Findings: An image search shows the image has been online since 2018. A TV report from Igbere TV News on June 24, 2018, shows that the picture was taken during a violent clash among members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Dunukofia Local Government Area, Anambra State. The party’s deputy chairperson, Emma Otika, reportedly sustained a head injury during the attack when party executives from Dunukofia staged a protest at APGA’s state secretariat and the state House of Assembly in Akwa.
Source: Igbere TV News, Facebook
Verdict: Misleading
Claim: A Facebook user, Bube Africa, shared a video displaying bundles of cash, claiming in the caption that it was “election-sensitive materials” delivered for the Anambra election.
Findings: A reverse image search reveals that the same video was posted on Instagram in April 2025, months before the Anambra election in November. The captions claim the bundles of cash are from Nigeria’s socialite, Obi Cubana’s birthday celebration. Also, using keyword search, we located the same video posted on Pilse Nigeria’s TikTok account. The video has been on the internet before the Anambra election.
Source: Google reverse image search, Pulse Nigeria
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user, @Esteembethemoth, congratulates (archived) Governor Charles Soludo as the winner in the ongoing Anambra elections.
Findings: As of 12:30 pm on November 8, voting is ongoing in all polling units in Anambra State. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to declare a winner for the governorship election.
Source: INEC
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user, @Tkoy2025, claimed (archived) that there is massive vote-buying ongoing in Anambra State by APGA and APC.
Findings: Two journalists covering the election, Chingorom Ugwu of PREMIUM TIMES and Mustapha Usman of the ICIR, confirmed witnessing vote-buying in multiple locations. Also, PREMIUM TIMES’ early report indicates that vote-buying is rampant.
Source: Premium Times, Journalists
Verdict: Correct
Claim: A TikTok user, Nigeria Undivided, shared a video showing a group of women being helped to thumbprint on a ballot paper, claiming it was recorded in Anambra on November 8.
Findings: A key frame analysis of the video revealed that it was originally shared on X in 2023 by user @ThatVyktur, who alleged election rigging in the South East during the general election. The video is therefore not recent.
Source: X (formerly Twitter)
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user claimed that Ezechukwu Nweke, Action Alliance (AA) gubernatorial candidate, is currently leading the polls by a wide margin.
Findings: As of 2:37 pm, field observers from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reported that election results had not yet been sorted or collated. Vote sorting across all polling units began at 2:30 pm, making it impossible to verify which candidate was leading at the time the claim was made.
Source: CJID field observers
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: An X user claimed that the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, defeated the Labour Party with 73 votes to 57 votes at Peter Obi’s polling unit.
Findings: Data from the INEC IReV portal revealed that the APC garnered 73 votes from the 173 valid ballots in Polling unit 019, Umudum Akasi Square, Agulu II Ward, Anacha Local Government. By contrast, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) recorded 38 votes, while the Labour Party gained 57 votes.
Source: INEC IReV
Verdict: Correct
Claim: An X user claimed that voters are being swayed with Gala and Malt at the ongoing Anambra guber poll.
Findings: The NFC used various techniques and tools to trace the video’s origin, but found no leads. While vote-buying has been confirmed during the ongoing election, the video’s poor quality casts doubt on whether it is related to the gubernatorial poll.
Source: Field observers
Verdict: Unproven
Claim: The African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition posted some photos of coalition sheets on its X account, claiming the results were fake to discredit the coalition.
Findings: A comparison between the photos uploaded by the user and those available on the INEC IReV portal for [olling units 005 Amaadim V Square I (Achalia III LGA), 010 UGA B.S.S I (Aguata LGA); 039 Obosi Central School III, and 014 Obasi Central School I (both in Idemili North LGA) shows that the results are identical, accurate, and were not manipulated, contrary to the ADC coalition’s claim.
Source: INEC IReV portal
Verdict: Misleading
Claim: An X user, @whitenigerian, claimed the final result of the 2025 Anambra election has been released, with APGA getting 72.5% of the votes, APC 17.4%, LP 2% and PDP 0.2%
Findings: As of 7:10 am, the NFC checked the INEC Election Result Viewer (IReV0 and noticed that only 99.33% of the results have been collated. Moreover, the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not announced the final results of the election. Furthermore, the NFC contacted Amina Mianago, an election observer from the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID), who stated that there has yet to be an official announcement from INEC. Besides, no reputable news outlet has reported the announcement of any Anambra election result.
Source: IReV portal, CJID field observer
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: A Facebook user claimed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) only got 1,401 votes in the Anambra election as of Sunday, November 8.
Findings: Mainstream media reports the total figure for PDP in the election as 1,401. Meanwhile, INEC has declared Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the election after polling a total of 422,664 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 99,445 votes.
Source: TVC News, Punch Newspaper
Verdict: Correct
Claim: The ADC coalition shared an image of a Gjana-Must-Go bag stuffed with money on X as evidence of “collusion everywhere” in the election; that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) “turned the process into a heist and pushed out the coalition.”
Findings: A reverse image check reveals that the image of the “Ghana-Must-Go” bag shared by ADC is unrelated to the just-concluded election. The image is from 2019, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized cash during a patrol against vote-buying in Makurdi, Benue State. Although there have been reports of vote buying, Premium Times and Sahara TV posted the exact picture on March 9, 2019.
Source: Premium Times, Sahara TV
Verdict: Misleading
Claim: An X user claimed that Charles Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), won the Anambra governorship election with 361,893 votes.
Findings: The official results, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), show that Soludo polled 422,664 votes, not 361,893 votes as claimed. Multiple media reports, from Premium Times and The Cable, confirm the announced figure.
Source: New Central, Premium Times, The Cable
Verdict: Incorrect
Claim: A social media post on X alleges that there were no result sheets at Ihiala Amuwma Ward 013 in the just-concluded Anambra gubernatorial race.
Findings: An election observer, Chimezie Nebolisa, from the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID), said that the polling unit had result sheets, but they arrived late. Additionally, a Premium Times reporter, Chinagorom Ugwu, told NFC that there was no such report. Finally, a check on INEC IReV shows a breakdown of election results in the polling unit.
Source: Premium Times reporter, CJID election observer, INEC
Claim: An X user, @drkenon2, claims that the votes recorded for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Njikoka LGA exceeded the number of accredited voters.
Findings: According to the Anambra 2025 governorship election results published by BBC and Premium Times, Njikoka LGA had 119,605 registered voters, 30,907 accredited voters, and 30786 total votes cast. APGA secured 22,213 votes, which is well below the number of accredited voters.
Source: BBC and Premium Times
Verdict: Incorrect
This will be updated timely.
]]>Elections in Nigeria have always been defined by controversies. Electoral malpractice, ranging from ballot snatching to result sheet manipulations, has persistently plagued our democracy. However, in 2015, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) introduced the Smart Card Reader, which sought to verify voters electronically for the first time.
It was far from perfect. Machines failed, networks crashed, and officials reverted to manual accreditation in many places. In fact, BusinessDay reported how over 5.8 million people went on to vote without digital accreditation.
Learning from those mistakes, INEC launched the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in 2021 to replace the card reader. Alongside it came the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, where Nigerians could log on to see polling unit results in real time.
Both systems played significant roles during the 2023 general elections. While some hailed them as milestones in electoral transparency, others criticised them as flawed, particularly after the prolonged delay in uploading the presidential results
With the Anambra governorship election approaching, these two acronyms, BVAS and IReV, are beginning to brew controversies and confusion. To help clear the air, here are six misconceptions about BVAS and IReV.
- “BVAS means we now vote electronically”
This is perhaps the most common misunderstanding. This misconception spread during the 2021 Anambra governorship election, where BVAS was first tested. Many voters arrived at polling stations expecting electronic voting, where you press a button and your vote goes directly to a server. But that was not the case.
In reality, BVAS has not replaced the traditional ballot paper system. You will still thumbprint on paper, and your votes will still be counted manually at the polling unit.
What then is BVAS meant for? BVAS simply ensures you are who you claim to be before you can vote. The machine verifies your identity by scanning your fingerprints or face to ensure you are not impersonating anybody. Apart from that, it is also used to transmit results to IReV after everyone has voted.
Therefore, for the 2025 Anambra election, you should be prepared for manual voting supported by digital checks.
- “If my fingerprint fails, I won’t be able to vote”
This fear is valid but rooted in Nigeria’s long history of faulty machines on election day, especially with their repeated experiences with the Smart Card Reader failures pre-2023. Nigerians still carry that trauma.
However, BVAS has two verification methods: fingerprint and facial recognition. If one fails, INEC says the other steps in. Unfortunately, when both fail, you may be unable to vote.
However, the multi-accreditation mode of BVAS represents a significant improvement over the smart card reader.
- “Results are counted and declared on IReV”
Because we have established that BVAS accredits you and IReV lets you see results, many voters may still assume that IReV is a digital collation centre where winners are announced. This is false.
The INEC result viewing portal is more like a public notice board, but in digital form. After polling unit officials count votes and record them on paper, they scan the result sheet and upload it to IReV for everyone to see.
Therefore, it is important for you to understand that IReV does not declare winners. Results are still counted and declared manually at the ward, LGA, and state collation centres, and that has not been replaced.
- “Once results are uploaded to IReV, rigging is impossible”
While many expected IReV to eliminate election fraud, the 2023 general elections revealed otherwise. Watchdogs observed discrepancies between some results uploaded on IReV and the figures later announced at collation centres
Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) argued that the promise of real-time transparency was undermined. INEC later admitted technical glitches delayed uploads, which further fuelled suspicion.
Although uploading results to IReV has made it more difficult to tamper with polling unit outcomes, manipulation remains possible during collation, where figures from hundreds of units are aggregated.
- “IReV is for politicians”
IReV was created for everyone in Nigeria, not just politicians, party agents or INEC. As long as you can access a smartphone and the internet, you can monitor uploaded results from different polling units by logging onto the IReV portal.
That means you can view results uploaded on the portal and compare what was uploaded from your unit with what was later announced at collation. By doing this, you are also taking ownership of the election and demanding accountability from people who may want to manipulate results.
- “BVAS always works perfectly”
Nigerians who witnessed the 2023 general elections know this is untrue. On the contrary, BVAS was reported to have malfunctioned in several states due to poor connectivity and unskilled officials. In some polling units, accreditation stretched for hours and left voters frustrated.
While INEC insists it has learned lessons and improved its systems, it may not be out of place to expect some form of glitches on election day.
Written & edited by Nigeria Fact-Checkers Coalition (NFC) ahead of the Anambra 2025 election.
]]>As Nigerians anticipate the Anambra off-cycle governorship election scheduled for November 8, there are growing speculations that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may postpone voting in some Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Off-cycle elections, held outside the regular election schedule, play a significant role in Nigeria’s democracy. They are often organised to fill vacant positions or address specific local and state matters. Unlike general elections that follow fixed timelines and draw large voter numbers, off-cycle polls can occur at any time. Their outcomes can shape both local governance and national politics.
Can INEC postpone elections?
It is not without precedent; Nigeria has experienced postponements in the past, often due to security challenges, logistical issues, or unforeseen disruptions, raising questions about what such a move would mean for voters this time.
Nigeria’s Electoral Act empowers the INEC to postpone voting in specific polling units, wards, local government areas, or even entire constituencies if serious issues prevent elections from holding. Such matters may include outbreaks of violence, natural disasters, widespread insecurity, or technical failures such as faulty BVAS or other election equipment.
This power has been exercised in the past. General elections were shifted in 2011 and 2019 due to logistical and security challenges. At the local level, elections have also been postponed or rerun in certain areas where ballot snatching, intimidation, or violence disrupted voting.
As the Anambra off-cycle governorship election draws near, there are growing concerns that similar disruptions could lead to postponements in parts of the state, particularly in volatile local government areas with histories of electoral violence.
Why INEC may postpone voting in Anambra
Anambra State has some longstanding issues that could cause the postponement of elections, ranging from insecurity often fuelled by separatist threats to political thuggery, attacks on INEC offices, and persistent logistical challenges such as poor road networks, difficult riverine terrain, and late deployment of materials.
The state has also witnessed fire outbreaks that destroyed election facilities and sensitive equipment, creating delays in preparations. Prolonged court disputes over party primaries and candidate eligibility have historically complicated the electoral process and, in some cases, forced adjustments to election timelines.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have frequently enforced sit-at-home directives aimed at disrupting electoral activities. In past elections, these orders, sometimes reversed at the last minute, have created uncertainty and lowered voter turnout in South East states, including Anambra.
In 2021, the separatist group announced a one-week sit-at-home order from November 5 to 10, deliberately timed to disrupt the governorship election in the state. Although the group later rescinded the directive under pressure, fears of violence lingered, fuelling voter apathy.
According to a 2021 report by The Nation newspaper, which examined the conduct of the Anambra gubernatorial elections that year, while many blamed INEC for shifting voting in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state from Saturday, November 6, to Tuesday, November 9, the real obstacle was insecurity, which continued even during the rescheduled exercise. This showed that INEC has limited control over security matters.
The situation was, however, different during the 2023 presidential elections. Unlike other South-Eastern states that witnessed violent attacks and voter apathy, Anambra did not experience such challenges.
Recent months have seen a decline in violent incidents, such as kidnappings and attacks on civilians, some attributed to IPOB or unknown gunmen. These have significantly strained security and election logistics.
A report by The Whistler, which cited data from SBM Intelligence, indicates a steady decline in killings in Anambra through 2025. In its July 30 update, the firm reported 39 deaths in the second quarter (Q2), a 38 per cent drop from 63 in Q1. This followed another decline from 95 deaths in Q4 2024, the state’s deadliest quarter within the January 2024 to June 2025 period.
While Anambra has shown signs of improved security in 2025, the shadow of past threats and uncertainties lingers. The possibility of election postponement remains tied to how well security agencies, INEC, and community stakeholders can manage risks in volatile areas.
In addition, Anambra was one of the states where INEC’s office suffered arson in 2019, leading to the destruction of over 4,600 Smart Card Readers (SCRs)—critical pieces of election equipment that take months to procure, forcing the commission to reschedule the elections.
Though a postponement does not mean cancellation. Instead, voting in the affected areas is rescheduled to a later date within the constitutional timeframe. This ensures that voters in those areas are not denied their rights.
What it really means
For voters, a postponement means they will be temporarily denied the opportunity to cast their ballot on Election Day, with a new date set once the issues are resolved. While this protects their right to vote eventually, it can discourage participation, especially if voters feel unsafe or lose trust in the process.
Written & edited by Nigeria Fact-Checkers Coalition (NFC) ahead of the Anambra 2025 election.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has continually warned against vote-buying, ballot box snatching, underage voting and other electoral malpractices as Anambra election holds November 8.
INEC organises elections into various political offices in the country.
The Electoral Act 2022 clearly outlines the rules and regulations guiding electoral processes. But many Nigerians are unaware of the provisions in the Act that could lead to their arrest.
This article highlights the key activities that could lead to arrest during the forthcoming election in Anambra.
Legal framework
Electoral offences in Nigeria are comprehensively stipulated in the Electoral Act 2022.
It was assented to by the late former president, Muhammadu Buhari, in February 2022 and later gazetted and published in the following month for adoption ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Under the Act, offences such as vote buying, impersonation, and voting by unqualified voters, among others, carry a fine, imprisonment, or both, depending on the severity of the offence.
This effort aims to ensure credible, free, and fair elections among participating parties, thereby ensuring that citizens’ votes count.
The Anambra election is approaching, and the Electoral Act 2022 will remain in effect until it is amended or repealed. If you are a voter in Anambra, below are some of the offences that could lead to your arrest in the governorship election period.
- Voter registration offences
Everyone in Anambra who is eligible to vote is required to register for the election. However, it is important to note that anyone who, without authority, destroys, mutilates, deface, removes, or alters a registration notice or document may face imprisonment.
In addition, impersonating or registering in a constituency you are not entitled to, or registering at multiple centres; publishing false statements to deter eligible voters from registering; making false entries in registration documents; obstructing registration or revision officers; impersonating registration officers; forging a registration card; or conducting registration or revision outside designated centres are all prohibited by the law.
These offences carry a fine of up to N1 million, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.
- Offences in respect of nomination
If you forge, deface, destroy, unlawfully handle or deliver forged nomination papers, result forms, certificates of return, ballot papers, ballot boxes, or you consent to be a candidate when ineligible, you commit an offence and are liable on conviction to imprisonment for up to two years.
- Manufacturing or importing election materials without authority
The Nigerian law criminalises manufacturing, importing, possessing, or supplying ballot boxes, compartments, voting devices, or mechanisms without proper authority.
The unlawful possession, illegal printing of a ballot paper, illegal production, importation of ballot boxes or the illegal printing of ballot papers are prohibited.
These offences attract a maximum fine of N50 million, imprisonment for a term of not less than 10 years, or both.
- Disorderly behaviour at political meetings
Political meetings are essential for the promotion of democracy, especially in a multi-party system like Nigeria’s. However, opposition groups sometimes attempt to disrupt one another’s gatherings. Acting in a disorderly manner or being in possession of an offensive weapon at a political meeting can result in a fine of up to N500,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.
- Improper use of voter’s card
Your voter’s card is meant for you only and can’t be shared with others. Therefore, giving your voter’s card to someone else to use during an election, other than an officer appointed to do so, is unlawful. It’s also the same for possessing more than one voter’s card or buying, selling and dealing with voters’ cards. Anyone found wanting of these offences is liable to a fine of up to N1 million, imprisonment for 12 months, or both.
- Improper use of government vehicles
It is prohibited to convey any person to a registration office or to a polling unit using a government vehicle or boat except such a person is entitled to use such a vehicle or boat, for instance, an electoral officer.
Anyone who does this risks a fine of up to N500,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
- Impersonation and voting when not qualified
If you attempt to vote in the Anambra election without being qualified to vote, or you induce a person to vote knowing such a person is not qualified, you can be liable of a fine of up to N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both. This also applies to voting more than once or aiding the commission of these offences.
- Dereliction of duty and announcing false result
If you are a polling officer who fails to report to the polling unit on time or fails to discharge your duties on election day without a lawful excuse, you can be convicted and fined up to N500,000 or imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both.
Additionally, announcing or publishing a false election result is punishable by up to 36 months imprisonment.
If a returning officer, collation officer, or person delivers a false certificate of return, they will be liable to a sentence of up to three years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
- Bribery and conspiracy: vote buying
Paying money to any other person for bribery at any election or receiving any money or gift for voting, or to refrain from voting at any election, carries a fine of up to N500,000 or imprisonment for 12 months, or both. If a person aids and abets such offences, the same punishment applies.
- Voting interference
Voting must be done in secret in the polling booth, so that no one else knows the party you voted for. Flouting this rule means you are not maintaining the secrecy of voting at a polling unit. At the polling booth, you cannot interfere with or speak to a voter casting their vote. If found guilty, you will face a fine of up to N100,000 or imprisonment for up to three months, or both.
- Wrongful voting and false statements
Illegal voting at an election and publishing any statement of the withdrawal of a candidate or about his personal character, knowing it to be false, will attract a fine of up to N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of six months, or both.
- Voting by unregistered persons
If you bring a voter’s card issued to another person into a polling unit during an election, you are liable to be fined N100,000 or imprisoned for six months, or both. You get the same punishment if you attempt to knowingly vote in a constituency that doesn’t have your name in its register.
- Disorderly conduct at elections
If you incite people to act in a disorderly manner at polling units, you will be liable to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months, or both.
- Offences on election day
According to the Act, within a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit, you must not canvass for votes, persuade any voter not to vote for a particular candidate, or be in possession of any offensive weapon.
You must also not wear or display any notice, symbol, photograph, or party card. Using any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of a political party, loitering around a polling unit, or blaring a siren is also prohibited.
Flouting these prohibitions can result in a fine of N100,000 or a term of imprisonment of six months.
In addition, the snatching or destruction of any election material can result in a 24-month imprisonment.
- Undue Influence – vote buying & selling
If you accept money or any other inducement after the announcement of an election date, or if you give money or an inducement to corruptly influence someone to vote or not vote, you will face penalties. You are liable to be fined N100,000 or imprisoned for 12 months, or both.
- Violence, threats, or campaign obstruction
If you threaten a person with violence or injury to compel that person to vote or refrain from voting, or you prevent any political aspirant from free use of the media vehicles, mobilisation of political support and campaign at an election, you will be liable to be fined N1 million or imprisoned for three years.
Written & edited by Nigeria Fact-Checkers Coalition (NFC) ahead of the Anambra 2025 election.
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