As Edo State heads to the polls on August 16, 2025, for the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency bye-elections, the Coalition of Observer Groups in Nigeria expresses deep concern over credible reports that threaten the credibility of the process.

The September 2024 governorship election in Edo State left a lingering crisis of confidence in the electoral system, following allegations of irregularities, including the use of duplicate result sheets and questionable collation practices.

Those allegations were never conclusively addressed by INEC, leaving citizens doubtful about the neutrality of the electoral umpire.

We have received worrying indications that similar tactics may be deployed in the upcoming by-elections, with fears that results could be predetermined through the unlawful preparation of duplicate result sheets before collation begins.

Equally troubling are reports that security agencies, particularly the police, may be deployed in a manner that restricts the lawful access of opposition party agents to collation centres.

Any such militarisation of the electoral environment would be a direct violation of the Electoral Act and an assault on voters’ right to a transparent process.

We note that the Edo Central Senatorial District is the home constituency of the sitting governor. In light of this, we call on the governor to publicly condemn reported threats made by his supporters against opposition parties and their candidates, and to, in his capacity as Chief Security Officer of the state, commit to ensuring that the elections are peaceful, violence-free, and conducted in strict adherence to the law.

Any democracy is only as strong as the confidence reposed in it by its citizens. INEC has both a legal and moral obligation to ensure that the will of the people is not subverted by acts of manipulation or intimidation.

The commission must take urgent, visible steps to guarantee that collation is open, verifiable, and protected from interference.

The August 16 by-elections are a test of INEC’s commitment to electoral integrity. Nigerians and the international community will be watching closely.

Trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild; and the commission’s actions in the coming days will determine whether public confidence in the electoral process is restored or further eroded.