Two months after, more knocks came for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged wide spread rigging and institutional manipulation of the governorship election in Edo State
As a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday evening, the Chancellor of the Athena Centre, Mr. Osita Chidoka revealed that his organisation’s finding about the exercise, taking the electoral umpire to the cleaners.
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, a non-profit organisation advocating for transparent governance, accused the INEC of significantly compromising the integrity of the electoral process.
INEC declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo winner of the 21 September poll with 291,667 votes, while his major opponent and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Asue Ighodalo received 247,274 votes.
But Athena Centre said that the results were riddled with inconsistencies, raising questions about their credibility.
A former Minister of Aviation, Chidoka described the irregularities as “overwhelming” and indicative of systemic rigging, a claim that is consistent with views expressed by other sundry groups on the election, which variously indicted the umpire.
The centre also questioned the conduct, integrity and reliability of INEC in administering free and fair elections in the country. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had earlier called for the immediate replacement of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman.
According to Chidoka, “the evidence of systemic rigging observed in this election is so substantial that we cannot call the results credible”. He pointed to multiple lapses that undermined the election’s integrity, including over voting, manipulations at ward collation centres, and “discrepancies in the transmission of results.
“The inability to transmit real-time accreditation data casts a long shadow over the entire exercise”.
Chidoka also said that results from 153 polling units were unaccounted for. These missing results, he said, represent a glaring gap that undermines the validity of the declared outcome. According to the Athena Centre’s analysis, this discrepancy alone could alter the election’s trajectory.
The centre’s findings suggest a pattern of malpractice that goes beyond isolated incidents, indicating an orchestrated effort to influence the outcome by randomly adding to figures and subtracting them arbitrarily.
Its report also criticised INEC for lack of adequate oversight and accountability mechanisms during the electoral process. Chidoka stressed that the commission’s actions and inactions significantly undermined the principles of democracy. He called for a comprehensive audit of the electoral process to identify and address systemic flaws.
Announcing his decision to resign from partisan politics, he emphasised the importance of evidence-based governance and systemic change. “Nigeria’s democratic institutions must be built on trust, accountability, and the unwavering commitment to the rule of law”, he asserted.
He pledged to work with compatriots who share his vision for a more transparent and equitable political system.
The Athena Centre’s findings have amplified calls for a review of INEC’s processes and the implementation of measures to ensure transparency in future elections. Stakeholders, including civil society organisations and political analysts, have urged the federal government to address these concerns urgently.
