Lagos APC vows to prevent opposition from rigging future elections

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asserted that it will not permit opposition parties to rig future elections in Nigeria, pushing back against allegations that it was solely responsible for irregularities in the 2023 general elections.

Citing a recent independent statistical analysis, the party rejected the narrative that it orchestrated electoral malpractice. Seye Oladejo, the APC spokesman in Lagos, stated that a study conducted for a Data Science master’s thesis at Pan-Atlantic University analyzed results from over 123,000 polling units across the country.

According to Oladejo, the research revealed that electoral irregularities were not confined to a single political party. He highlighted that the analysis found the highest concentration of statistically significant anomalies in areas considered strongholds of the Labour Party, particularly in parts of the South-East.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates

The APC also pointed to the report’s findings of a disproportionate number of “perfect scores” in Labour Party strongholds, which it described as statistically suspicious vote distributions. Oladejo argued that these findings undermine claims that the 2023 election was rigged by the federal government or the ruling party.

He added that the study suggested electoral malpractice in 2023 was driven by “opportunity rather than ideology,” implying that some parties alleging rigging may have also benefited from irregular practices.

While acknowledging the report’s conclusion that the 2023 election was neither entirely fraudulent nor completely free of irregularities, the APC contended that malpractice has evolved into more subtle forms, necessitating greater vigilance in future polls.

The Lagos APC warned against what it termed attempts to manipulate public opinion through misinformation and post-election narratives, vowing to prevent the opposition from rigging upcoming elections.

The party also voiced its support for comprehensive electoral reforms, including:

Independent audits of election data Real-time transmission of results Enhanced technical capacity for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prosecution of electoral offenders, regardless of party affiliation

The APC affirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process before, during, and after all future elections.