With the Edo State governorship election fast approaching on September 21, 2024, alarming revelations have surfaced regarding alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the electoral process.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin City have disclosed to members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State chapter, that the APC, in collaboration with some senior INEC officials in Abuja, has perfected plans to withhold election materials on the eve of the election.
In a series of WhatsApp messages sent to NUJ officials, INEC insiders expressed deep concern about the integrity of the upcoming election, warning that there are covert plans to manipulate the distribution of sensitive election materials.
According to the messages, the APC intends to delay the release of the materials, which are supposed to be distributed to the various local government areas 24 hours before the election.
One of the INEC officials, in a message to the NUJ group chat, wrote: “We have credible information that the APC is working with certain senior officials in Abuja to ensure that the election materials are not released on time. Instead of distributing them as scheduled, they plan to withhold them and move them to a location in Benin City, where they will carry out massive thumbprinting in favour of the APC.”
Another message from the same INEC official elaborated on the plot: “They want to frustrate the process by ensuring that the materials don’t reach the local governments until very late or at all. This way, they can carry out their rigging plan without interference. The idea is to create confusion and then use the opportunity to manipulate the results.”
Upon receiving the messages, NUJ officials immediately contacted the INEC officers for further clarification and to gather more information.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, one of the INEC officials confirmed the authenticity of the messages and expressed his fears for the upcoming election.
“Yes, those messages are from us. We are deeply concerned about what is happening. This is not the first time we’ve heard of such plans, but the level of coordination between the APC and some of our colleagues in Abuja is unprecedented. If they succeed, it will be a major blow to democracy in Edo State,” the official stated.
When pressed for more details, the INEC official explained that the materials include ballot papers, result sheets, and other essential items needed to conduct the election.
“The plan is to divert these materials to a secure location within Benin City, where hired agents will spend the night thumbprinting ballot papers in favour of the APC,” the official revealed.
As election day draws nearer, the revelations have heightened tensions in the state, with many now questioning the impartiality of INEC in conducting a fair election.
The potential involvement of senior INEC officials in Abuja has also raised concerns at the national level, with political analysts warning that the credibility of the entire electoral process could be compromised.