The National Democratic Coalition (NDC) House of Representatives primary election for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency has been engulfed in controversy following allegations of irregularities, security breaches, and abrupt procedural changes that disrupted the credibility of the exercise.
The primary election, conducted across designated venues including Eden Park Estate, Abraham Adesanya Football Field, and the Obalende Police Barracks Cooperative Ground, reportedly degenerated into confusion as accreditation processes collapsed and security concerns intensified.
One of the leading aspirants, Hon. Fawumi Kayode Abiodun, popularly known as FKA, strongly faulted the conduct of the exercise, insisting that the process fell short of basic democratic standards.
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He further expressed surprise at what he described as a sudden departure from the party’s earlier announced voting arrangement, noting that members had been informed that the primaries would be conducted online, with only duly registered members eligible to vote. According to him, the method was altered just hours before the exercise, a development he said created room for manipulation and disorder.
Speaking to journalists during the chaotic scenes, FKA raised concerns over the influx of unfamiliar individuals into the voting environment, describing it as a major breach of security and party guidelines.
“For me, I just noticed that the gate was forcefully opened. A lot of people are coming from outside. It looks to me like miscreants are here and I don’t know where they are coming from, and that’s why we are trying to leave.
“ I will not accept a process that does not reflect the values that the NDC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.
He further questioned the integrity of the accreditation process, alleging incidents of identity duplication and irregular voter verification.
“I don’t think there’s going to be an election here because it’s not making sense to me. For an election that is said to be free and fair but everyone is in disarray. I noticed that about 10 people using the same card, changing their pictures but the names are the same,” he added.
The situation reportedly deteriorated as confusion spread across the venues, with accreditation processes becoming increasingly disorganized and security arrangements overwhelmed.
Other aspirants also condemned the conduct of the exercise, alleging that the process was compromised and influenced by entrenched political interests within the constituency. Some of them pointed fingers at perceived supporters linked to the current representative of Eti-Osa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Thaddeus Attah, accusing them of contributing to the disruption.
One of the aspirants described the exercise as a “complete breakdown of internal democracy,” alleging deliberate interference in the voting process.
“What happened today cannot be described as an election. It was a compromised process from the outset. There were clear signs of interference, and the situation was allowed to spiral out of control,” the aspirant said.
Another participant similarly condemned the primary, describing it as a deviation from established democratic norms and calling for a thorough review of the entire process.
