NDC Eti-Osa primary faces controversy as aspirants allege irregularities, security breaches and procedural changes during the election

The National Democratic Coalition (NDC) House of Representatives primary election for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency descended into controversy on Saturday after aspirants and party members alleged widespread irregularities, security breaches and abrupt procedural changes that disrupted the exercise.

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The primary election, held at designated venues including Eden Park Estate, Abraham Adesanya Football Field and the Obalende Police Barracks Cooperative Ground, was marred by confusion as accreditation processes reportedly broke down and security concerns escalated.

One of the leading aspirants, Fawumi Kayode Abiodun, popularly known as FKA, criticised the conduct of the election, arguing that the process failed to meet basic democratic standards.

According to Fawumi Kayode Abiodun, party members had initially been informed that voting would be conducted electronically and restricted to duly registered members. However, he alleged that the arrangement was altered shortly before the exercise commenced.

The aspirant said the last-minute change created opportunities for manipulation and contributed to the disorder witnessed at the voting venues.

Speaking to journalists during the exercise, Fawumi Kayode Abiodun expressed concern over the presence of unfamiliar individuals within the voting environment, describing the development as a serious security breach.

“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,” he said.

The aspirant maintained that he would not accept any process that failed to reflect the democratic values the party had pledged to uphold.

Fawumi Kayode Abiodun also 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 alleged.

As tensions mounted, accreditation activities reportedly became increasingly disorganised while security personnel struggled to manage the growing crowd.

Other aspirants similarly condemned the conduct of the NDC Eti-Osa Primary, alleging that the exercise had been compromised by vested political interests within the constituency.

Some participants accused individuals believed to be aligned with Thaddeus Attah of contributing to the disruption, although no evidence was publicly presented to substantiate the claims.

One aspirant 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 called for a comprehensive review of the exercise, arguing that the events fell short of established democratic norms and party expectations.

As of the time of reporting, officials of the National Democratic Coalition had not publicly responded to the allegations or announced whether the disputed primary election would be reviewed, suspended or repeated.

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The controversy has intensified scrutiny of the party’s internal electoral processes as it prepares for future political contests within the constituency.