The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that the party will not allow opposition parties to manipulate future elections in Nigeria. This assertion comes after the APC rejected allegations that it was solely responsible for irregularities in the 2023 general elections. Citing an independent statistical analysis, the party claims that electoral malpractices were not limited to one political party.
The analysis, conducted as part of a Data Science master’s thesis at Pan-Atlantic University, examined results from over 123,000 polling units nationwide. According to the study, the highest concentration of statistically significant anomalies occurred in areas considered strongholds of the Labour Party, particularly in the South-East region. The APC noted that while Lagos State recorded an anomaly rate of 2.3 percent, other states such as Anambra, Enugu, and Imo reported higher figures, at 24.9 percent, 16.7 percent, and 10.9 percent, respectively.
The study also identified a disproportionate number of “perfect scores” in Labour Party strongholds, which the APC described as statistically suspicious. Seye Oladejo, the APC spokesman in Lagos State, said these findings undermine claims that the 2023 election was rigged by the federal government or the ruling party. The study suggested that electoral malpractice in 2023 was opportunistic rather than ideologically driven, and that some parties alleging rigging may have benefited from irregular practices themselves.
The APC acknowledged that the 2023 election was neither entirely fraudulent nor completely free of irregularities. However, the party argued that malpractice had taken on more subtle forms, requiring greater scrutiny ahead of future polls. To address this, the Lagos APC expressed support for electoral reforms, including independent audits of election data, real-time transmission of results, and improved technical capacity for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The party also advocated for the prosecution of electoral offenders regardless of party affiliation.
The APC’s stance is significant, as it reinforces the importance of protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. With the party committed to preventing opposition manipulation in future elections, the focus now shifts to implementing electoral reforms and ensuring the credibility of the electoral process. As Nigeria prepares for future elections, the need for transparency, accountability, and fairness will be crucial in maintaining public trust and confidence in the democratic process.
