Nigeria’s Edo State chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has outrightly dismissed the legitimacy of recent parliamentary by-elections, condemning the electoral body’s handling of the process and accusing it of bias toward the ruling party. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Sunday that candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) — Joseph Ikpea (Edo Central Senatorial District) and Omosede Igbinedion (Ovia Federal Constituency) — had won the Saturday, August 16, 2025, polls. The results have been met with fierce backlash from the PDP, which labeled the exercise a threat to democratic integrity.
In a strongly worded statement, PDP’s Edo State Caretaker Committee Elections Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, denounced the outcomes as “an embarrassment to democracy” and accused INEC of enabling manipulation through deliberate technical failures. The party rejected INEC’s cited reasons for irregularities — including reported “glitches” in voting technology — as cover for systemic incompetence and collusion with the APC. “What we witnessed was not a technical failure but a deliberate sabotage to create an unfair advantage,” Nehikhare asserted.
Central to the PDP’s allegations is the alleged misuse of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), a biometric tool introduced to curb fraud in Nigerian elections. The party claims INEC intentionally compromised the system’s effectiveness, undermining transparency. “The BVAS is critical to credible elections, but its manipulation renders the entire process illegitimate,” Nehikhare added, arguing that INEC leadership should face consequences for “repeatedly compromising electoral integrity.”
The controversy has reignited debates about Nigeria’s electoral fairness, with the PDP calling for broader accountability. “In any responsible society, INEC’s management would be sacked and prosecuted,” the statement read, emphasizing demands for transparent processes to protect Nigeria’s democracy from “predetermined outcomes.”
INEC has yet to respond publicly to the PDP’s latest claims. Meanwhile, the APC’s victories, if upheld, would strengthen its legislative influence. Analysts note this dispute reflects recurring tensions in Nigeria’s electoral system, where opposition groups frequently allege foul play. With national elections scheduled in the coming years, concerns about INEC’s impartiality and technical preparedness are likely to remain a flashpoint. Critics argue that without urgent reforms, public confidence in the electoral process risks further erosion.
