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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Peter Obi Media Office has alleged a plot by individuals linked to the Presidency and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the 2027 general elections through the relocation of polling and collation centres and the insertion of fictitious names into the voter register.
In a statement issued by Indris Zekeri Jnr on Thursday, the office raised concerns over what it described as coordinated efforts by elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine confidence in the electoral process, particularly in the South-East.
It alleged that operatives linked to the Presidency, working with some INEC officials, had been deployed to the region to facilitate changes in polling and collation locations and alter voter records ahead of the elections.
Of particular concern, according to the statement, was the alleged plan to introduce fictitious names into the voter register to enable votes to be credited to individuals who did not turn up at polling units or cast ballots.
“Such conduct would strike at the fundamental basis of democracy and indicate an effort to compromise the electoral process before Nigerians have the opportunity to vote,” the office said.
It called on INEC to immediately clarify whether it had approved any relocation of polling or collation centres and to make all related changes available for public scrutiny.
The office also demanded an independent review of recent uploads and amendments to the voter register to ensure that no individual was recorded as having voted without physically appearing at a polling unit and completing the required voting procedure.
“The Presidency must also publicly distance itself from any fraudulent scheme of this nature and assure the public that no government agency is being used to manipulate the electoral process,” it added.
Warning against any attempt to compromise the elections, the office said it would resist such moves through lawful and democratic means.
“We caution that any effort to fabricate votes, change polling locations, or compromise the collation process will be opposed through every lawful and democratic avenue,” the statement said.
It added: “Nigeria cannot afford an election in which the results are purportedly determined before voting begins. The ballot must represent the will of genuine voters, not the calculations of desperate politicians.”
The Obi Media Office said INEC’s credibility was at stake, adding that Nigerians and the international community must remain vigilant ahead of the 2027 general elections as “the 2027 election must be determined by voters, not electoral manipulators.”
