Lagos APC election integrity statement cites study showing irregularities not limited to one party, pledges to safeguard future elections
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected claims that the ruling party was solely responsible for irregularities in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, citing an independent statistical study that found electoral anomalies across multiple parties.
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The party’s spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said the analysis, conducted as part of a Data Science master’s thesis at Pan-Atlantic University, examined results from more than 123,000 polling units nationwide.
The study found the highest concentration of statistically significant anomalies occurred in Labour Party strongholds, particularly in parts of the South-East.
According to the APC, Lagos State recorded an anomaly rate of 2.3 per cent, while other states reported higher figures, including Anambra (24.9 per cent), Enugu (16.7 per cent), and Imo (10.9 per cent).
The report also noted a disproportionate number of “perfect scores” in Labour Party strongholds, a distribution described as statistically suspicious.
Oladejo said the findings challenge claims that the 2023 election was rigged by the federal government or the APC.
He added that electoral malpractice in 2023 followed “opportunity rather than ideology,” with some parties alleging rigging having potentially benefited from irregular practices themselves.
The Lagos APC acknowledged that the election was neither entirely fraudulent nor completely free of irregularities but emphasised the need for greater scrutiny ahead of future polls.
The party vowed to prevent any manipulation of forthcoming elections and warned against attempts to influence public opinion through misinformation or post-election narratives.
The party also expressed support for electoral reforms, including independent audits of results, real-time transmission of votes, enhanced technical capacity for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the prosecution of electoral offenders regardless of party affiliation.
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Oladejo concluded that the Lagos APC remains committed to protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process before, during, and after future elections.
