During a recent press briefing, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, raised concerns about the actions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding the upcoming elections.
He alleged that the APC failed to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) requirements for submitting the list of party agents, which is a crucial step in the election preparation process. According to the PDP chairman, instead of uploading legitimate names and information, the APC allegedly submitted pictures of emojis and foreigners on the INEC portal.
These images, he claimed, were not simply administrative errors but rather part of a broader strategy by the APC to manipulate the process.
Verification: ALL WE KNOW.
The CDD War Room, in investigating the claim that the All Progressives Congress (APC) uploaded images of emojis and foreigners as party agents in Edo State, examined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal. Upon review, the War Room did not find any data related to the submission of party agents by any political party on the portal. This absence of information suggested a lack of public access to the uploaded data at the time.
To further clarify, the CDD War Room engaged in a conversation with Peter Uwadiae, the APC spokesperson in Edo State.
Uwadiae acknowledged that many political parties, including the APC, had not yet completed the submission of their party agents.
He explained that, according to the Electoral Act, political parties have until 14 days before the election to upload the list of their agents. Given that the Edo election is scheduled for September 21, he argued that the APC was still within the legally mandated timeframe to complete the process.
Additionally, he highlighted that the Electoral Act does not explicitly mandate immediate or compulsory uploads. He further stated that the PDP should make the document publicly available if their claim is actually true.
To balance this perspective, the CDD War Room spoke to Chris Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Orientation and Communication. As a party official in a state currently governed by the PDP and a member of the party himself, he asserted his familiarity with the ongoing situation.
He claimed that INEC had notified all political parties, including the PDP, in a closed door meeting about non-compliance with the directive for uploading party agent lists.
Specifically, he alleged that INEC identified irregularities in the list submitted by the APC, notably the inclusion of images of foreigners, which he suspects were sourced from the internet, and emojis, attached to the names of supposed agents.
He suggested that these names and pictures were placeholders, potentially standing in for individuals who may disrupt the election. In his view, this alleged action is part of a deliberate attempt to rig the elections and undermine the democratic process in the state.
Furthermore, the Commissioner mentioned that INEC had set July 31st, 2024, as the official deadline for the submission of party agent lists, implying that APC had failed to meet this deadline.
Who is a party agent?
Party agents, also known as polling agents, are accredited representatives of political parties.
Their primary responsibility is to observe the election process on behalf of their parties, ensuring that the interests of their candidates are protected at various stages of the electoral process. A political officeholder or someone who has recently held office may serve as a party agent only if they resign from their political position at least three months before the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) allows each political party to designate one agent per candidate at every registration, polling, and collation centre.
Section 43 of the 2022 Electoral Act outlines the rights and duties of polling (party) agents and provides the framework for the appointment of agents by political parties in consultation with their candidates.
The Act stipulates that political parties must submit written notice of their polling agents to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state, accompanied by two passport photographs and a sample signature for each agent.
This submission, according to the Electoral Act, must be done at least 14 days before the election.
Additional Investigation by CDD War Room
Upon further examination of the INEC portal, the CDD War Room discovered that, at the moment, the portal is specifically open for the upload of party agents for the upcoming Ondo off cycle election scheduled for November 16.
The portal for Ondo will close on September 30, approximately six weeks before the election, this suggests that the window for uploading party agents for the Edo election may have already closed, possibly in August.
To corroborate this information, the CDD War Room consulted a reliable source at INEC headquarters.
This source confirmed that INEC had indeed held a confidential meeting with political party leaders in preparation for the elections. Notably, the source disclosed that the PDP chairman, who made the initial claim, was not present at the meeting.
The source further confirmed that the deadline for uploading party agent lists had already passed.
Final words.
This investigation highlights conflicting narratives between the political parties. The discrepancy between the APC’s defence of its actions and the claims by PDP officials suggests a broader contest over electoral legitimacy, with both parties positioning themselves strategically ahead of the Edo State election.
The claim touches on key concerns regarding transparency and fairness in the electoral process, reflecting broader anxieties about the integrity of elections and the potential misuse of technology in political competition. If true, such actions would raise serious questions about the APC’s commitment to a fair election and its adherence to INEC’s regulations. It also highlights the importance of scrutinising party actions, ensuring that electoral bodies like INEC are able to monitor and enforce compliance to uphold the credibility of the democratic system.
This allegation also demonstrates how political claims can be weaponised to shape public perceptions ahead of an election, contributing to an atmosphere of distrust.