Fintiri Accuses INEC of Blocking PDP Agents, Grants APC Free Access Amidst Collation Chaos

[keypoints]

• Governor Ahmadu Fintiri accused INEC of preventing PDP agents from accessing the collation centre during the Edo governorship election, while APC agents were given full access.
• Fintiri alleged that collation processes in several local governments were violently disrupted and unlawfully relocated to INEC’s state headquarters.
• The PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, described the election as potentially the worst in Nigeria’s history, citing inflated vote counts and violence, and called for accountability.

[/keypoints]

Fintiri Accuses INEC of Blocking PDP Agents, Grants APC Free Access Amidst Collation Chaos

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of denying agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) entry into the collation centre during the Edo governorship election. Meanwhile, he claimed that agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were granted unfettered access.

Fintiri, who also serves as the chairman of the Edo PDP campaign council, made these allegations at a press conference in Benin on Sunday. He pointed out what he described as a blatant breach of electoral laws and procedures, accusing INEC of allowing the APC to influence the collation process unfairly.

“The agents of the APC were allowed into the INEC premises to participate in the collation process,” Fintiri said, alleging that the process in some local government areas was violently disrupted.

Collation Disruption and Relocation

The governor highlighted specific areas where collation was interrupted. According to him, the process was stopped in key local governments, including Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Egor, and was unlawfully moved to the INEC State Headquarters in Benin.

Fintiri stated that this move was orchestrated under the orders of an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, which he claimed was a direct violation of the statutory collation procedure. “Affected party agents and representatives were ordered to gather at the INEC State Headquarters for the continuation of the collation exercise,” he explained.

Upon arrival at the state office, however, PDP agents were allegedly barred from entry while APC agents were allowed in. “This is a clear violation of the Electoral Act’s section on neutrality and breaches the rules set for this election,” Fintiri added.

Alleged Violence at Collation Centres

The Adamawa governor did not stop accusing INEC of partiality. He also alleged that senior officials of the APC, alongside police officers, stormed the Etsako West Local Government Collation Centre at around 9 p.m. on the night of the election. He claimed that gunshots were fired indiscriminately, leaving the council’s vice chairman in critical condition from a gunshot wound.

“As a result of this attack, the results from Wards 7 and 11 were not delivered,” Fintiri noted. He also mentioned that the police set up a 2km barricade around the INEC state office, restricting access and limiting movement in the area.

Collation Results and Protest

At the press conference, Fintiri also shared figures from the local government Collation centres. He was quick to clarify that these numbers were based on the results received from party agents and did not override INEC’s official results. “I only informed the public of the figures our agents collected before INEC interrupted the process. INEC, not me, should be accused of violating the Electoral Act,” he stressed.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State reportedly joined the protest against the irregularities, visiting the INEC office to register the PDP’s displeasure with the situation. Fintiri credited Obaseki’s intervention for finally pushing the collation process forward.

The governor also called for the immediate restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC’s established rules. “Any other unlawful actions going forward will violate the will of the people and the Electoral Act,” he warned.

‘Worst Election in Nigeria’s History’

The PDP’s Edo governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, expressed his deep concerns over the election’s conduct. “From our perspective, this may go down as the worst election in Nigeria’s history,” Ighodalo stated, describing several instances of irregularities, including inflated vote counts in over 20 polling units where the total votes surpassed the number of accredited voters.

Ighodalo also pointed out other issues that he believed indicated electoral malpractice, such as the alleged shooting of polling agents and the disruption of the voting process by thugs aligned with the APC. “This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable in this century, and it certainly has no place in Nigeria,” he said.

Call for Accountability

As the collation of results for the Edo governorship election continues, PDP leaders are calling for accountability and transparency. Fintiri and Ighodalo, alongside other party officials, are demanding that INEC adhere strictly to the law to ensure the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The allegations of violence, electoral misconduct, and INEC’s partiality continue to stir debate, with the PDP urging the commission to maintain the integrity of the election process and the will of the people.

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