An office of Nigeria’s electoral commission in Niger State has been set on fire by protesters alleging election fraud, casting a shadow over local government polls.
The incident occurred in the town of Nasko, in the Magama Ward area, ahead of Saturday’s local government elections. According to eyewitnesses, the violence erupted when residents discovered that official result sheets were missing from the election materials delivered by officials.
The protesters alleged that the absence of the result sheets was a deliberate attempt to manipulate the outcome of the poll. Their anger quickly escalated, leading to an attack on the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The extent of the damage to the building and the sensitive materials inside is still being assessed. Initial reports indicate that a significant number of election-related items were destroyed in the fire.
Conflicting Accounts of the Attack
There are, however, conflicting reports about the severity of the attack from the police and witnesses.
In an official statement released to journalists in Minna on Saturday, the state police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, presented a different sequence of events. He referred to the state’s own electoral body, the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC).
“The police team on the ground prevented the miscreants from setting the building ablaze while some suspects were also arrested,” SP Abiodun stated.
He confirmed that the incident began “during the distribution of sensitive materials in Magama on Friday at about 6:30 p.m., [when] some miscreants with dangerous weapons attacked the SIEC office, injured ad-hoc staff, and set the sensitive materials ablaze.”
SP Abiodun added that the incident and the arrested suspects are now under investigation.
Governor Insists “Democracy Has Come to Stay”
Despite the violent disruption in Nasko, the election proceeded in many other parts of Niger State. State Governor, Umaru Bago, voted at his Tswashagi Raba polling unit in Landzun Ward, Bida, and struck a positive note about the electoral process.
He urged Nigerians to continue to participate, stating that “democracy has come to stay in the country.”
“We give thanks to President Bola Tinubu for insisting that sub-nationals obey the constitution and conduct credible elections across all the local government areas in the country,” the governor said.
He praised the high level of voter participation, suggesting it indicated strong public faith in the democratic system.
“Niger State today is having its own local government area elections, and everybody is out here to cast their votes. This is the experience that is going to show the acceptance of democracy in the country.
“The turnout is unprecedented. Even at the general elections, we don’t have this number. It simply demonstrates the faith Nigerians have in the system,” he said.
High Voter Turnout Reported Amidst Tensions
The governor’s sentiment on voter turnout was echoed by a candidate in the election. Mr. Muhammed Usman-Manko, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Bida Local Government Area, expressed his delight at the large number of voters.
“I can’t believe this massive turnout of voters in this community, irrespective of the harsh weather conditions,” he said.
“We are also very grateful to the Almighty Allah for a peaceful exercise. I also heartily appreciate the farmer-governor, Muhammad Bago, for his continuous support. I also appreciate the entire community for this wonderful show of support.
“I am not surprised by the impressive turnout. It shows what the governor is doing for them in terms of infrastructure and human capital development,” he added.
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