PDP demands probe over alleged inducements to INEC officials
PDP demands probe over alleged inducements to INEC officials
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for a full-scale investigation into allegations that senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received land allocations and cash gifts from a cabinet minister under Bola Tinubu.
The opposition party warned that the claims, which surfaced last week and continue to generate public debate, could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system if not urgently addressed.
In a statement issued by its factional National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party described the reports as “disturbing” and called for immediate transparency from the electoral body.
“The media space was, last week, awash with reports alleging that the minister offered land and cash gifts to senior staff of the commission.
“This news is very disturbing and worrisome and seems to connect the dots in the land-for-favour scenario currently being widely speculated as the strategy for institutional capture of the minister,” the statement read.
The PDP questioned why such alleged benefits were reportedly directed at election officials, while workers in critical sectors like healthcare, education, and security have not received similar incentives.
“We have not heard of any land allocation to these people, obviously because they are not directly related to the election process,” the party said.
It further urged the INEC leadership to publicly address the allegations, including claims that its chairman may also be implicated.
“We, hereby, demand that the national chairman of INEC comes clean on these allegations against his top officials, and even himself, as he has also been alleged to be a beneficiary,” the statement added.
The party stressed that failure to resolve the issue promptly could further erode public trust, especially ahead of future elections.
“The commission must remember at all times that it must strive to be, like Caesar’s wife, above board, and ensure that transparency and impartiality are not just watchwords but are obvious in both its words and actions.”
The allegations come at a politically sensitive period, with growing scrutiny of Nigeria’s electoral institutions and increasing concerns about institutional independence.
