Fresh Allegations Erupt Against INEC as Obidients Vow Action: "You're Running Rackets, Not Election"
- The Northern Obidient Youth Assembly (NOYA) alleged that INEC is manipulating candidate lists
- The group also alleged that INEC officials collect bribes to tamper with party lists
- NOYA called for a National Assembly probe, forensic audits, and criminal investigations into INEC’s actions
The Northern Obidient Youth Assembly (NOYA) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of allegedly colluding in what it described as a “cash-driven conspiracy” to undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
In a strongly worded statement cited by Legit.ng, issued on Monday, August 4, by its Coordinator, Abdullahi Suleiman, NOYA alleged that INEC is using a section of its website titled “Amended List of Candidates Pursuant to Court Order” as a cover for the deliberate manipulation of party candidate lists.
Source: Twitter
According to Suleiman, what should be a transparent compliance process has instead become “a cynical and corrupt practice that benefits political elites while punishing legitimate candidates.”
INEC: Alleged bribes and backroom manipulation
The group claimed that candidates who were lawfully nominated by their parties are being secretly removed or replaced on the INEC list, only to be reinstated later by court rulings after intense legal battles.
“These are not mistakes; they are politically influenced moves that force candidates into costly and time-consuming legal battles just to reclaim their rightful positions,” Suleiman said.
He further alleged that some officials within INEC are collecting tens of millions of naira in bribes to tamper with the lists, with the expectation that the courts will eventually fix the damage.
“But by the time the judiciary intervenes, the political harm is already done. The corrected names often appear so late that meaningful participation in elections becomes nearly impossible. It is a profit-driven racket at the expense of democracy,” he added.
Obidients: Judiciary now ‘emergency repair service’
Suleiman also criticised the judiciary’s emerging role as a default fixer of a deliberately broken system.
“Our courts have become an emergency repair service for a process that INEC intentionally damages,” he said.
He added:
“It creates a two-tier system of justice, one for the rich and politically connected, and another for those who cannot afford endless legal costs.”
NOYA demands inquiry and criminal probes
NOYA called on the National Assembly to launch a full-scale investigation into the recurring judicial reversals of INEC’s candidate lists.
They also suggested forensic audits to trace financial trails and determine if list alterations were tied to financial inducement.
“The leadership of INEC must be held accountable for any complicity. There should be criminal investigations into the roles of individuals within the Commission," Suleiman said.
Obidients: ‘Ballots must not be replaced by backroom deals’
Source: UGC
NOYA warned that if such practices go unchecked, elections in Nigeria will lose all credibility.
“If this practice continues, Nigerian elections will remain a charade, where backroom deals override ballots, and courtrooms become the new battleground for electoral mandates,” Suleiman stated.
“The Nigerian people deserve better. Democracy cannot survive when its referees are on the payroll of the players,” he concluded.
Leaked memo shows war between ADC, Obidients
Previously, Legit.ng reported that fresh cracks appear to be emerging within the recently formed coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as a leaked memo has exposed internal disagreements between the ADC and the Obidient Movement.
The Obidient Movement, which backs Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, accused the coalition of marginalising its members from key decision-making processes.
Source: Legit.ng
