A social media post by Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, claiming he served as an “accredited election observer” for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election has sparked criticism and debate among Nigerians online.
Tenebe, in a post shared on his social media page, wrote: “Today, I am honored to serve as an accredited election observer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), representing our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the state governorship election taking place in Ekiti State.”
He also extended goodwill to the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, wishing it continued success in advancing the development and prosperity of Ekiti State.
However, the statement quickly triggered reactions from Nigerians, with many questioning how a serving state chairman of a political party could simultaneously function as an election observer in a governorship election.
Critics argued that election observers are generally expected to be independent and non-partisan, raising concerns over Tenebe’s assertion that he was representing the APC while serving in an observer capacity.
Several social media users called on INEC to clarify the circumstances surrounding the accreditation, while others described the development as a contradiction of the principles of electoral neutrality and transparency.
As of the time of filing this report, neither INEC nor the APC had issued an official statement addressing the controversy generated by Tenebe’s post.
