from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – THERE are concerns over the ability of Nigeria, the world’s largest Black nation, to hold credible elections.
This follows the divisive poll held in the southern Edo state on Saturday.
Allegations of vote rigging against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the war of words between the two biggest parties in the country have marred the exercise.
INEC reported a stampede at its office in the state capital Benin City after an intrusion by some officials by the People’s Democratic (PDP), which has claimed victory and alleged vote rigging.
Nationally, PDP is the main opposition after losing power to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. However in Edo, it is the ruling party.
The election to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki was predicted to be a two-horse race between Asue Ighodalo of PDP and Monday Okpebholo APC.
PDP claimed victory and alleged vote rigging.
One incident, it has called for the arrest and prosecution of Presiding Officer (PO) in the governorship election, Obozuwa Josephine, for allegedly allocating “non-existent” votes to the APC.
“Obozuwa Josephine should take note that this criminal action by her could provoke similar consequences,” warned Debo Ologunagba, PDP National Publicity Secretary.
PDP said this alleged action was part of a series of electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, betrayal of public trust and crime against the state perpetrated in the election by the APC and unscrupulous INEC officials.
Ahmadu Fintiri, Chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, announced Ighodalo had won, with 143 100 votes to Okpebholo’s 136 777.
On Sunday, he stormed the INEC office to express disquiet.
There were protests also at the place by officials and supporters of the APC over Fintiri’s actions.
APC dismissed the results announced by Fintiri to the press as “fake” and likely to cause unrest in the state.
“To be clear, the purported election results announced by Fintiri are bogus, fake and contrived by devious imagination,” said Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary.
“Our party is comfortably in an early lead, however, as a responsible party, we will not attempt to preempt INEC’s conclusion of the election process and official declaration of final results.”
INEC reported a threat to its office in Okpoba Okha Local Government Area on Saturday, resulting in a stampede in which one of its officials was injured.
The agency also denounced the overnight presence and demonstrations by some political actors and their supporters at the Benin City head office ahead of the commencement of final collation.
“These actions are uncalled for,” Mohammed Haruna, INEC National Commissioner, said.
“Nobody should disrupt the process at any stage and no one will be allowed to benefit from lawlessness.”
The collation process was ongoing with the winner set to be announced this week.
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), the umbrella organization of all parties in the country, appealed to INEC to maintain neutrality.
CNPP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, James Ezema, said there are “worrisome and troublesome feelers” of a ploy by one of the biggest parties to influence officials to change the results and the figures already on the INEC portal.
“INEC must not allow itself to be used to scuttle democracy in Edo State under any circumstances,” Ezema cautioned.
With the state governorship election in the southwestern Ondo set for November, CNPP stressed the importance of INEC demonstrating its commitment to conducting credible elections and restoring confidence in the electoral process after the questionable 2023 general elections.
Then, Bola Tinubu was elected president but his rivals rejected the results as rigged.
They were unsuccessful with their challenge in court.
Elections in the West African country, which returned to democratic rule in 1999, have been marred by allegations of fraud.
INEC has been at the centre of the controversies.
– CAJ News