BY AHMED AKANBI
The Peter Obi Media Office has accused individuals allegedly linked to the Presidency and some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of plotting to manipulate the 2027 general elections through changes to polling centres and the introduction of fictitious names into the voter register.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Indris Zekeri Jnr, the office alleged that the move was part of a coordinated attempt by some elements of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the credibility of the electoral process, particularly in the South-East.
It claimed that some operatives allegedly linked to the Presidency, working with certain INEC officials, had been deployed to the region to facilitate the relocation of polling and collation centres and tamper with voter records ahead of the elections.
The Obi Media Office expressed concern that fictitious names could be introduced into the voter register to enable votes to be credited to individuals who did not physically appear at polling units or participate in the voting process.
It warned that such an alleged arrangement would compromise the integrity of the elections and deny Nigerians the opportunity to freely choose their leaders.
The office consequently called on INEC to clarify whether it had approved any relocation of polling or collation centres and make details of such changes available for public scrutiny.
It also demanded an independent review of recent uploads and amendments to the voter register to establish that no individual had been recorded as having voted without physically appearing at a polling unit and completing the required voting procedure.
The statement also urged the Presidency to publicly distance itself from any alleged fraudulent scheme and assure Nigerians that no government agency was being used to interfere with the electoral process.
Warning against any attempt to manipulate the elections, the office said it would challenge such actions through lawful and democratic means.
It maintained that the outcome of the 2027 general elections must reflect the wishes of genuine voters rather than the interests of politicians seeking to influence the results before voting begins.
The Obi Media Office also called on Nigerians and the international community to remain vigilant, insisting that INEC’s credibility was at stake ahead of the polls.
It stressed that the 2027 elections must be determined by the votes of Nigerians and not by any attempt to manipulate the electoral process.