Coalition: We have evidence Edo Election was manipulated

A coalition of civil society organizations has said the outcome of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State did not reflect will of the people. Comprised of INEC-accredited observer groups, the coalition demanded urgent reforms at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to protect Nigeria’s democratic integrity. Addressing the media, coalition leaders presented what […]

A coalition of civil society organizations has said the outcome of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State did not reflect will of the people.

Comprised of INEC-accredited observer groups, the coalition demanded urgent reforms at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to protect Nigeria’s democratic integrity.

Addressing the media, coalition leaders presented what they described as “incontrovertible evidence” of manipulation, including certified documents from INEC.

These records, they claimed, expose an “unprecedented level of electoral fraud” in Edo, asserting that tampering occurred in collusion with security agents, distorting the true will of Edo’s voters.

“Our findings show that the election results announced by INEC were far from a free and transparent process,” said Comrade Victor Kalu, Convener of the coalition and head of the Center for Development and Transformation Initiative.

“We are alarmed by this blatant disregard for electoral laws. If left unaddressed, this sets a dangerous precedent that threatens democracy itself in Nigeria. While we cannot speak to the details of the Election Petition in Edo as it is now sub judice, we appeal to the Judiciary to remember that they are the last hope not just of the common man, but of our democracy. Justice must be seen to have been done in Edo.”

The coalition urged the Nigerian judiciary to take swift action, pressing the courts to thoroughly examine what they called a “charade” in Edo.

Members of the coalition said they were mobilizing to ensure public oversight of the judicial process, shielding it from political interference, and are calling for the alleged perpetrators of election fraud to face accountability under the law.

“INEC has repeatedly shown itself incapable of conducting free and credible elections,” said Comrade Friday Emeh of the Global Development Center for Rescue Mission.

“President Tinubu, who fought to defend democracy during his NADECO years, understands how a lack of confidence in the electoral system threatens the very democracy he once championed.”

The coalition is also pushing for reforms to secure INEC’s independence, recommending that future nominations for INEC Chairman and National Commissioners be proposed by the National Judicial Council, ratified by the National Council of State, and confirmed by the Senate. Structural changes, based on the Uwais Panel Report, are also recommended to ensure INEC’s financial and operational autonomy, with transparency reinforced at the polling unit level.

Among their key recommendations is the expanded use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, which transmit results directly from polling units, establishing BVAS data as the official record; the immediate dismissal of INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.