The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the outcome of the Nasarawa North Senatorial District by-election, calling for its outright cancellation and a fresh exercise over alleged widespread irregularities. In a statement issued on Sunday by its Publicity Secretary, Danjuma Joseph, the party said the election fell short of acceptable democratic standards and did not reflect the will of the electorate.
Background of the By-election
The by-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was held to fill the vacant Nasarawa North Senate seat following the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki. The NDC alleged that its official logo was omitted from key electoral materials, while a different symbol appeared on the ballot paper, a situation it said created confusion among voters and compromised its participation in the contest.
Allegations of Irregularities
It also claimed that the party’s logo was missing from result sheets used during collation, adding that its agents were allegedly denied the opportunity to endorse results at ward, local government, and state levels. The party further raised concerns over reported BVAS malfunctions in several polling units, saying the failures disrupted accreditation and undermined the credibility of the process.
Calls for Fresh Election
According to the statement, there were also allegations of result manipulation and alteration in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, though the party did not provide detailed evidence to substantiate the claims. The NDC insisted that the irregularities were significant enough to invalidate the exercise, declaring that it would not recognise the outcome and would explore legal options to challenge the process.
Demand for Transparency
It maintained that only a fresh and transparent election would restore public confidence and reflect the true choice of voters in Nasarawa North. The party urged INEC to take immediate steps to address its concerns, warning that failure to do so could further erode trust in the electoral system. INEC has not responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
