A coalition of accredited electoral observers is calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the 2023 gubernatorial election in Ogun state and conduct a fresh one.
Governor Dapo Abiodun won his re-election by a slim margin, receiving 276,298 votes under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.
Ladi Adebutu was his closest competitor, receiving 262,383 votes under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ms Abiola Abimbola, the spokesperson of the electoral observer group, alleged that the election was below par with what INEC had promised.
She accused INEC of deliberately denying some political parties’ submission of candidates and said that some parties’ logos were missing on the ballot paper.
Abimbola stated that the elections in Ogun state must not be accepted to maintain democracy’s integrity for the people of Ogun state. The coalition is calling for a new election to be conducted as soon as possible to save Nigeria’s democracy and our country.
The integrity of democratic elections is crucial to the stability and security of a country. If allegations of malpractice are found to be true, it raises concerns over Nigeria’s democratic processes and the transparency of electoral bodies.
Nigeria must ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent to maintain faith in the democratic process.
