Police 'aware' YouTube prankster's name on candidate sheet for 11 constituencies

Police say they are aware a YouTube prankster who stood for London Mayor has apparently registered his name to fight the general election in 11 constituencies.

Niko Omilana appears on ballot sheets in seats including Rishi Sunak's Richmond and Northallerton.

Omilana, who polled 50,000 votes in the 2021 mayoral election making him the most successful independent, also has his name in London constituencies Greenwich and Woolwich, Bermondsey and Old Southwark and Ealing Southall.

The YouTuber appears to have confirmed the move in a video on his social media channels where he says he has "decided to run for prime minister" and wants to "remove" Mr Sunak from politics.

West Midlands Police said it had received information about the name appearing multiple times on the ballot sheet and was "liaising with the relevant authorities".

It would be breaking the law for a candidate to falsely claim they are not standing in another constituency, according to Electoral Commission rules.

Omilana, 26, from Staffordshire, has more than seven million YouTube subscribers and has carried out a string of stunts including sneaking into the KSI vs Logan Paul boxing re-match and attempting to get into the ring.

In reference to the “Niko Omilana” candidates, the YouTuber said in one video: "We will remove Rishi and on top of this, we have done the impossible.

“We attempted to run Niko Omilana in multiple places across the country, and somehow we managed to make it happen.

“My aim is for Niko Omilana to get more votes than anyone else and declare myself prime minister."

Beyond the London constituencies, Niko Omilana is listed to stand in Leeds East, Leeds South, Coventry South, North West Essex, Birmingham Perry Barr, Dundee Central and Stockton West.

Each of them is registered under a different address and their nomination papers were signed by different people.

The Electoral Commission said: "We are aware that the same person has been nominated as a candidate in a number of constituencies at the general election.

"Candidates must confirm in their nomination papers that they are not standing in any other constituency.

"It is an offence for an individual to provide false information on nomination papers when applying to stand as a candidate, including to falsely confirm that they are not standing in another constituency."