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INEC Under Fire As Parties Trade Blame Over By-Elections
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ADC, PDP, others reject results, accuse INEC of complicity.
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Tinubu, APC hail victory as proof of Nigerians’ support.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties on Sunday traded words over the outcome of Saturday’s by-elections conducted across 16 constituencies in 12 states.
The APC secured victories in 12 constituencies, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Adamawa State. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) clinched Kano, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) picked two seats in Anambra.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that but the African Democratic Congress (ADC), recently adopted as a coalition platform for opposition leaders, alleged that the exercise was marred by violence, vote buying, intimidation, and manipulation.
The party maintained that the polls did not reflect its true strength, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies of complicity.
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said, “When citizens cannot vote freely, the covenant between state and people breaks down. What happened was not democracy but banditry disguised as elections.”
In contrast, the APC hailed the results as a resounding endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, commended voters, security agencies, and INEC, stressing that the victories showed Nigerians’ confidence in Tinubu’s leadership.
President Tinubu also congratulated APC candidates and new National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, describing the win as “a strong pointer to greater things to come.”
Meanwhile, the PDP rejected results in parts of Edo, Jigawa, and Adamawa, alleging collusion between INEC officials and security agencies. In Zamfara, INEC declared the Kaura Namoda South by-election inconclusive following irregularities in five polling units.
With parties already bracing for 2027, Saturday’s by-elections provided both a test of strength and a fresh reminder of the deep mistrust trailing Nigeria’s electoral process.
