Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has made explosive allegations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the body of rigging the September 21 Edo governorship election.
Chidoka described the election as “a sham” and claimed it was manipulated to favor the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Chidoka presented what he called damning evidence of electoral fraud.
“INEC Inflated Votes to Favor APC”
Chidoka alleged that INEC inflated the number of accredited voters by over 100,000 across 798 polling units.
“Presiding officers recorded 580,000 accredited voters, yet INEC’s backend magically produced 687,000,” he revealed.
He accused INEC of tampering with figures to sway the outcome in APC’s favor.
“PDP’s votes were slashed by 11,665, while APC got an illegal boost of 32,284 votes,” Chidoka claimed.
Fake Result Sheets and Fraud Allegations
The former minister did not stop there.
He alleged that fake result sheets were printed and used to alter the election outcome.
“Someone at INEC printed fake result sheets and wrote the outcome they wanted,” Chidoka said.
He described the act as a calculated move, not mere incompetence.
“This isn’t just incompetence; it’s fraud on a massive scale,” he declared.
PDP’s “Rightful Victory” Stolen
Chidoka argued that when the fraudulent votes are removed, the true winner is PDP’s candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo.
“PDP won this election. The manipulation robbed Nigerians of their choice,” he said.
However, he refused to recognize the official results due to what he called the “scale of rigging.”
“What happened in Edo wasn’t an election—it was a travesty,” Chidoka emphasized.
Chidoka Resigns from PDP
In a dramatic move, Chidoka announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He explained that he wants to focus entirely on fighting for electoral reforms.
“Nothing else is as important to me right now as the defense of our democracy,” Chidoka stated.
He added that he would not let partisan politics distract him from the fight for credible elections.
Calls for Judicial Intervention
Chidoka’s allegations have sparked outrage and renewed calls for judicial intervention.
He urged the judiciary to act swiftly to protect Nigeria’s democracy.
“The courts must act. INEC has betrayed public trust, and our democracy is on life support,” he warned.
Chidoka said if the alleged fraud is allowed to stand, it would render future elections pointless.
“If this stands, there’s no point in having elections in 2027,” he lamented.
