The broadcaster says its findings were based on on-the-ground checks in Lagos, while INEC insists the preliminary voters’ register was displayed across all 245 registration areas in the state.

ARISE News has defended its report on the display of the preliminary voters’ register in Lagos State, rejecting the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) claim that the broadcast misrepresented the exercise.

The dispute followed a report aired on ARISE News’ What’s Trending programme on Thursday, October 15, 2026, which raised concerns about access to the register in parts of Alimosho and Shomolu local government areas.

INEC’s Lagos office subsequently described the report as false, maintaining that the register was displayed across all 245 registration areas, including every ward in the two local government areas.

In a response published on October 15, ARISE News said its findings were based on independent, on-the-ground verification rather than social media posts or unverified claims.

The broadcaster acknowledged INEC’s right to present its account but maintained that the problems identified during its checks were genuine.

“ARISE News acknowledges that INEC may have since rectified the situation, and we welcome that. But the issues we reported were real and the public deserves to know,” the station said.

The broadcaster outlined three main findings in its response.

First, it said that when its team checked INEC’s online portal on Tuesday, October 13, the website displayed a message stating that there were no preliminary registers available for display.

Second, its investigation in Alimosho reportedly found that the register was available only on request between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., with residents permitted to check their own names.

ARISE News argued that this arrangement fell short of the open public display required under Section 19 of the Electoral Act.

Third, the broadcaster shared a reporter’s account from St George’s Primary School on Awolowo Road, which she described as a location where INEC officials usually assembled for electoral activities.

In the report, the journalist said she visited the location on what she described as the final day of the display period but found no officials at the site.

“So I’m currently at St. George’s Primary School on Awolowo Road, and I’m told that this is where the INEC officers usually assemble for collection and everything INEC related. But then today, the last day in the display window for Nigerians to check the preliminary voters register, and they are not on scene,” the reporter said.

She added that a security guard was unsure whether officials would be present that day. The journalist said she intended to check other possible locations before concluding her report.

The footage establishes what the reporter said she observed at that particular location and time. It does not, on its own, establish that the register was unavailable at every designated centre in Lagos.

In its response, INEC Lagos, through its Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Esther Emeh, rejected the allegation that the display exercise did not take place in some registration areas in Alimosho and Shomolu.

The commission maintained that the preliminary register was displayed across all 245 registration areas, covering the state’s wards.

INEC urged the public to disregard what it described as misleading information and advised media organisations to verify reports through credible and authoritative sources before publication.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and the dissemination of accurate information about the electoral process.

The commission’s statement, however, did not resolve the specific questions raised by ARISE News about the portal’s reported message, the conditions for inspecting the register in Alimosho or the absence of officials at the location visited by its reporter.

The disagreement comes as electoral authorities undertake preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The display of the preliminary voters’ register allows registered voters to check their details and identify possible errors or omissions ahead of the elections.

Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2022 provides for the publication and public inspection of the voters’ register, including an opportunity for claims and objections to be raised in accordance with the law.

The central issue in the dispute is therefore not simply whether the register was displayed somewhere in Lagos, but whether eligible voters had the required opportunity to inspect it through the prescribed process.

ARISE News said it remained committed to independent and accurate journalism and called on INEC to ensure that voters in every ward had full access to the register.

The broadcaster also said it welcomed the possibility that INEC may have corrected any problems after its initial checks.

As of the reports published on October 15, the two sides had maintained their respective positions. The available reports did not include independent verification of the register’s availability at every one of the 245 registration areas.

Sources: ARISE News, October 15, 2026; Tribune Online, October 15, 2026; Vanguard, October 15, 2026; Electoral Act 2022.