As the much-anticipated Edo State governorship election slated for September 21, 2024, approaches, alarming allegations have surfaced concerning the involvement of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a bribery scandal aimed at rigging the election in favour of certain political interests.
According to inside sources, over N500 million has been set aside to influence the outcome of the election, with specific instructions given to INEC Returning Officers and other ad-hoc officials to tamper with the process.
A whistleblower within the electoral commission revealed that the bribe money had been earmarked to bribe officials to compromise their duties, specifically by omitting critical materials, such as the official result sheets, when heading to their polling units on election day.
The plan reportedly involves a deliberate omission of these sheets, creating a situation where results can be falsified or altered once the officers return to INEC offices.
The source, who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisals, disclosed, “There’s a carefully laid out plan to undermine the integrity of the election.
“Some officials have already been contacted, and N500 million has been allocated to facilitate this. We were told to purposely forget the result sheets for our assigned polling units on election day.
“The instruction is clear: we are to leave the result sheets behind, then later return to the office to fill them in with results that have been pre-arranged.”
The Returning Officers, who hold critical roles in overseeing the final tally of votes, have allegedly been placed at the centre of the grand scheme to rewrite election results.
The whistleblower added that external political forces are deeply involved, working in tandem with compromised INEC officials to ensure the scheme is executed smoothly.
“Certain politicians- from the APC have colluded with senior INEC officials to push this through. The money is being funnelled through intermediaries, and the Returning Officers are expected to comply with the demands.
“Anyone who refuses is threatened with losing their position or facing severe consequences,” the source said.
This new information adds to the growing concerns about the impartiality of INEC, as rumours of electoral fraud have been circulating in the state for weeks.
The Edo governorship election is set to be one of the most contested in recent years, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as major contenders, alongside the Labour Party.
The Young Edo Professionals, a local advocacy group, has also called for an urgent probe by the Department of State Services (DSS) into the matter.
Speaking on behalf of the group, their leader, Ojieh Ejehi, said, “This is not just about one party rigging an election; it is a direct attack on the democratic fabric of our society.
“The DSS must intervene and investigate these allegations immediately. If left unchecked, this could lead to civil unrest and erode the trust the public has in electoral institutions.”
International observers, including representatives from the United Nations and the European Union, who are set to monitor the Edo governorship election, have also been notified about the alleged scheme.
Some observers have already expressed concern over the level of interference in the electoral process.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a foreign observer commented, “We have been keeping an eye on developments in Edo State, and these allegations are very troubling. If true, they threaten the credibility of the election. We will be following this closely and reporting any irregularities we observe during the election.”
Despite the gravity of the accusations, INEC has so far remained silent. Attempts to reach the Edo State INEC office for comment have been unsuccessful.
However, many are now calling on INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to make a public statement to confirm or refute the claims and assure Nigerians that the election will be conducted without bias.