INEC to Investigate falsified results in Edo election amid arrest calls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced it will investigate claims of falsified results at a polling unit during the Edo governorship election.

This follows accusations that incorrect figures were entered into result sheets at the Osholo Primary School polling unit in Weppa Ward, Etsako East Local Government Area.

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, INEC acknowledged the complaint as the second received out of the 4,519 polling units across the state.

“The Commission’s attention has been drawn to an allegation of wrong figures entered into polling unit result sheets in the ongoing Edo State Governorship election,” INEC said, adding that it “will immediately investigate the matter and deal with any proven infraction.”

The issue arose when Obozuwa Josephine, the presiding officer at the Osholo polling unit, allegedly recorded 406 votes, despite only 213 voters being accredited.

This discrepancy led to swift reactions, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demanding the immediate arrest of Josephine, accusing her of deliberately inflating votes in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba criticized the incident, stating, “It is highly provocative that the INEC presiding officer could be so compromised by the APC to audaciously and feloniously allocate unearned 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP, and one to the Labour Party, totaling 406 votes — a figure far above the 213 accredited voters.”

The PDP also called for the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the alleged vote manipulation, further heightening tensions in the ongoing electoral process. The investigation by INEC is expected to be a key factor in determining the integrity of the election results.

Election observers and analysts have stressed the importance of addressing these allegations to maintain public trust in the process.

Political analyst Dr. Chinedu Okeke noted, “INEC must act swiftly to investigate and address these claims. Any proven irregularities could undermine the credibility of the entire election.”