The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has made a strong accusation against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claiming that its polling agents were prevented from participating in the Ebonyi South by-election.

In an interview with newsmen on Saturday, Nwaeze Onu, a prominent figure within the party, expressed deep concern, stating, “We do not have a single agent in all polling units across the senatorial district. We duly uploaded our agent list on the INEC system for accreditation and distribution of identification materials to political parties.”

Onu further conveyed the frustrations faced by the NNPP, mentioning that the state NNPP chairman had visited the INEC office in Abakaliki until 9 pm on Friday, only to be informed that there were no identification cards available for the party. He emphasized, “We cannot be on the booth when not accredited and will continue protesting this unfortunate development. INEC should realize that when someone is stopped from participating in an election, it is a breach of the electoral act.”

However, Christian Elekwa, the state INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity Department, refuted the allegations, stating, “The uploading of party agents list was not done in the states; it was done at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. The NNPP should have monitored the accreditation of its party agents in Abuja because that is from where such lists were sent to the states.”

This dispute sheds light on the complexities and potential challenges faced by political parties during electoral processes. As allegations and denials continue to unfold, the underlying implications highlight the significance of transparency and adherence to electoral protocols.