Reports of Irregularities Mar Nigeria's By-elections
The by-elections held on August 16, 2025, across Nigeria were characterized by a mix of peaceful conduct and significant reports of electoral malpractices. The elections were conducted to fill vacant seats in senatorial and federal constituencies, as well as state assemblies, across 12 states.
Allegations of Malpractice and Violence:
Widespread accusations of thuggery, voter intimidation, and vote-buying were reported in various locations. Both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) have accused each other of foul play. In some areas, security personnel were deployed to manage tense situations and quell violence, while reports of disruption by political thugs were common.
Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) Issues:
A major point of contention was the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promoted the technology as a means to ensure the integrity of the voting process, multiple reports highlighted its failures. Polling units experienced issues with slow accreditation, device malfunctions, and challenges in uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in a timely manner.
Key Incidents:
Edo State: The by-election in the Edo Central Senatorial District saw clashes between supporters of rival political parties. Allegations of vote-buying and intimidation were rampant. The PDP had previously called for the removal of the state's Resident Electoral Commissioner, a request the APC dismissed.
Kaduna State: The elections in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency and the Zaria Kewaye and Basawa State Assembly constituencies were also affected by incidents of thuggery and general disruptions.
Ogun and Kano States: Reports from these states pointed to delays in the arrival of voting materials and INEC officials. There were also isolated incidents of BVAS failures, though the situation appeared less volatile than in other states.
As of the time of this report, INEC has not released official consolidated results or issued a formal statement addressing the specific allegations of malpractice. Due to the widespread accusations of irregularities from both major political parties, the final outcomes are expected to face numerous legal challenges.
