Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson and Arise TV anchor, calls on Nigeria’s electoral commission, INEC, to explain why the Edo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, allegedly served as an INEC election observer during the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election. Abati says that election observers are expected to be non-partisan and drawn from neutral bodies, and he questions how Tenebe, described as a partisan figure, received accreditation. He points to a viral video showing Tenebe wearing a vest associated with INEC, which Abati characterizes as the basis of the controversy.
The allegation has prompted criticism from members of the public who accuse the electoral process of bias or rigging in favour of the ruling party. Abati argues that INEC should provide clarity on how the INEC-branded uniform reached Tenebe and the circumstances under which he was accredited as an observer. Both sources report Abati’s position and the ensuing public calls for explanation from INEC.
