INEC faces backlash over controversial November 11 elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is under scrutiny following the controversial off-season governorship elections held on November 11, 2023, in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states. The aftermath of the polls raises concerns about INEC’s integrity and the fulfillment of promises made for improved, transparent elections.

The February 25 Presidential Election and subsequent general elections in 2023 had already tarnished INEC’s reputation, with disruptions, impunity, and criticism from various quarters. Despite assurances and efforts to implement technological measures, the electoral process faced challenges, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among voters.

Expectations were high as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was introduced, and a significant number of new registrants boosted the voter register. However, the November 11 elections resulted in allegations of pre-written results, overvoting, disruptions, and security agencies aiding ballot box snatching.

In Kogi, the Action Alliance (AA) rejected the election outcome, citing fraud and pre-written results. Similarly, PDP’s governorship candidate, Dino Melaye, called for the cancellation of the election, highlighting manual accreditation and the absence of BVAS usage.

In Imo, accusations of security personnel disrupting the voting process and irregularities led to rejection of the results by political parties. The governorship candidate of PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, accused the ruling APC of manipulating the election through pre-loaded BVAS and widespread vote-buying.

Despite these allegations and widespread rejection of results, INEC declared Hope Uzodimma of APC as the winner in Imo and Usman Ododo, also of APC, as the winner in Kogi. The controversies surrounding these elections have further eroded public confidence in INEC.

Political analyst Dr. Emeka Nwosu expressed disappointment, emphasizing the need for electoral reform. He criticized INEC for its handling of the November 11 polls and called for a shift away from the winner-takes-all system, suggesting proportional representation to address the flaws in the electoral process.