Posted by Chinenye on Wed 14th Oct, 2026 - tori.ng
A major legal argument could change how Nigerians view election night reporting.
(Olisa Agbakoba. Photo Credit: THISDAYLIVE)
Former NBA President Olisa Agbakoba says journalists have a legal right to publish election results. He said INEC is the only body that can officially declare the winner.
He spoke on Television Show on Wednesday.
He said a journalist can report results read out by presiding officers at polling units without waiting for INEC's final announcement.
He based this on a 1984 ruling by Justice Cante Johnson in a case between the Nigeria Union of Journalists and FEDECO, which is now INEC.
He said the court found that journalists have a right to publish results.
He explained that results move from polling units to wards, local government areas, states and then the national collation centre.
He said journalists can report what was read at the polling unit.
He also predicted that political parties will use AI tools to pull results from INEC's Result Viewing Portal, IReV.
He said speed is coming, but reporters must check that results are authentic before publishing them.
He pointed to Section 124 of the Electoral Act, which punishes publishing false results, as proof that the law recognises publication.
He added that publishing a result is not the same as declaring a winner.
He cited the 1993 presidential election, where public results helped people project that the late Moshood Abiola had won, even though no official declaration was made.
He said the 1984 ruling still binds everyone, including INEC, because it was never appealed.