₦airaland Forum

TAP Initiative accuses INEC of direct involvement



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgjc6wIcvM?si=FOCGOxR4Xskwkpho

In a searing accusation, Martins Obono, Executive Director of the TAP Initiative, declared on Friday that Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not only complicit but actively involved in rigging the 2024 Edo State governorship election. Appearing on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Obono presented what he termed “damning, incontrovertible evidence” of INEC’s role in an alleged conspiracy that could shake Nigeria’s electoral foundation.

With stacks of documents in hand, Obono detailed glaring discrepancies between certified true copies (CTCs) of polling unit results issued by INEC and the identical documents uploaded to INEC’s own iREV result portal. “When we compared the CTCs from INEC with iREV’s records, we uncovered something staggering,” he said. “It appears INEC produced a shadow set of result sheets to substitute the real ones. They bear identical serial numbers, yet the iREV results are signed by party agents while the CTCs are mysteriously unsigned.”

Obono then revealed that TAP Initiative had enlisted a world-renowned forensic handwriting expert, whose expertise is sought by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, to scrutinize the CTCs. The analysis was unequivocal. “The expert confirmed that several CTCs were filled out by a single individual,” Obono stated. “One person sat down and forged these results. We were stunned. Democracies are built on trust in our institutions. If INEC can betray that trust, what does it mean for our future?”

"Institutionalized Rigging” and the Democracy Crisis

Obono contended that this alleged manipulation wasn’t just election fraud—it was institutionalized rigging, a level of deception never seen before in Nigeria. “For years, we suspected rogue actors in political parties,” he said. “But this time, it’s the very institution entrusted to protect our democracy—INEC—that is subverting it. Citizens need to believe in the system, or democracy fails. This isn’t about one election; it’s about the soul of our democracy.”

Obono’s revelations come amid broader allegations of electoral irregularities across Nigeria. A recent report by Athena, a respected research organization, highlighted “electoral anomalies” in the recent governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states, citing discrepancies in polling data and result tabulations. The implications, TAP Initiative argues, are far-reaching: unchecked, this pattern could set the tone for the 2027 presidential elections.

The Road Ahead: Demanding Accountability

Calling on the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to pursue a comprehensive investigation, Obono insisted no one be exempt, from INEC’s chairman to state-level officials like the Resident Electoral Officer and Head of Legal in Edo. “This cannot stand. If INEC’s actions go unpunished, it will form the playbook for all future elections,” he warned. “We fought too hard for this democracy to allow it to be dismantled by those who should protect it.”

A “Historic Fraud”: Over-Voting and Forgery

Obono also accused INEC of widespread over-voting, result manipulation, and systematic forgery of CTC result sheets. “We’ve been monitoring elections since 2003. This is the first time we’ve seen the electoral umpire itself as the main perpetrator,” he said. According to Obono, the 2022 Electoral Act has strengthened oversight over political actors but has failed to apply the same accountability standards to INEC itself. “Those involved in this scandal must face the law,” he declared.

The TAP Initiative has promised to leave no stone unturned in its pursuit of justice, affirming that “Nigeria’s democracy depends on the integrity of its institutions, and if INEC has abandoned that, it’s our duty to hold them accountable.”

Currently, Tinubu, INEC, the police, and the judiciary have become the biggest threats to Nigeria's democracy.

For the umpteenth time, Tinubu is not a democrat, he is a notorious narcotics trafficker, a certificate forger, and a buccaneering power grabber engaging in criminal state capture

Oh my country Nigeria,
We have really lost everything.
The Judiciary & INEC are gone😕
What do we have again....nothing!

Another AWS staff from the staple of the Obi supporters.

Tinubu told his team that he wanted Edo state for apc and dey got simple

Electoral credibility in Nigeria was long garbaged away to history since 2015.

Bobloco:
Currently, Tinubu, INEC, the police, and the judiciary have become the biggest threats to Nigeria's democracy.

For the umpteenth time, Tinubu is not a democrat, he is a notorious narcotics trafficker, a certificate forger, and a buccaneering power grabber engaging in criminal state capture

APC won Edo fair

Before nko

senatordave1:
APC won Edo fair

Senatordave1, you are an APC member, I don't expect you to say otherwise

senatordave1:
APC won Edo fair

He provided evidence, why not focus on that? I always laugh when people think that elections are won on fair ground in Nigeria
Everything in Nigeria is compromised

PDP Forensic Initiative with Arise TV?

Dey play.

Unfortunately the election is done and dusted. Well above PDP and their biased TV station

Mtchew!!!

Racoon:
Electoral credibility in Nigeria was long garbaged away to history since 2015.

Lol.. since 2015??

Did you see the election PDP conducted in 2007 that brought in yar adua and goodluck Jonathan. Even yar adua come out publicly to affirm that the election that brought him in was flawed.

Pls stop saying nonsense. Pdp (particularly Obasanjo started this rubbish of election rigging)

He's a lawyer not a forensic expert. That's how you idiots bring quacks to election petition cases and use your foolishness to destroy your own cases.

The government of APC and Tinubu is built upon fraud.

The president is a drug dealer and the party chairman is a known thief who was caught on camera stuffing bribes and nothing has been done to him till this very morning

Racoon:
Electoral credibility in Nigeria was long garbaged away to history since 2015.

I thought you people were insulting Edo people for voting APC. Why are you now crying rigging?

Election of steal and run away with power.

Nigeria has no business with free and fair election.

No free and fair election in Nigeria na.... It's not new

Bobloco:
Senatordave1, you are an APC member, I don't expect you to say otherwise

APC won Edo election
All these PDP experts and propagandists are doing is to discredit the election
You have evidence instead of hiding it and tender it in court, you are on TV and social media platforms sharing it for your opponent to see, it means you just seeking for sympathy
PDP lost the election due to Obaseki bad behaviour, fighting everybody including Oba of Benin

Only the dumbest prick in the world would not know that APC is a disease that cannot win any free and far election anywhere in Nigeria including Iragbiji home town of President Clueless T-Pain.

The president promised his party edo State and he simply delivered.

APC came to destroy and they are very fast about it.

You'll wait to see the funny outcome from the court

[quote author=Princedapace post=132710529]He provided evidence, why not focus on that? I always laugh when people think that elections are won on fair ground in Nigeria
Everything in Nigeria is compromised[/quote
What evidence? On TV station instead of court amount to propaganda

No wonder Tinubu is behaving anyhow as of he doesn't need Nigerians vote

emilo2bad:
APC won Edo election
All these PDP experts and propagandists are doing is to discredit the election
You have evidence instead of hiding it and tender it in court, you are on TV and social media platforms sharing it for your opponent to see, it means you just seeking for sympathy
PDP lost the election due to Obaseki bad behaviour, fighting everybody including Oba of Benin

You are an APC, I don't expect you to say otherwise

Bobloco:
Currently, Tinubu, INEC, the police, and the judiciary have become the biggest threats to Nigeria's democracy.

For the umpteenth time, Tinubu is not a democrat, he is a notorious narcotics trafficker, a certificate forger, and a buccaneering power grabber engaging in criminal state capture

LoL

Aptly captured!

Salute 🙏

Go to court and make your case. We have new CJN and you can trust that judiciary will do the right thing.

Sannisege:
Another AWS staff from the staple of the Obi supporters.

If you are bereft of ideas, Keep quiet. Allow people with ideas and reasons talk.

Not your crap and mundane posturing.

senatordave1:
APC won Edo fair

Say what?
If today no be Sunday, you for collect dirty slap.
Instead make I pray for you: may commonsense never be your portion in Jesus’ name, Aaaaamen! Go in peace.