Stakeholders in Rivers State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to relocate election result collation centres from local government council secretariats to police stations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The stakeholders alleged that opposition party agents had been intimidated and denied access to collation centres during previous elections, raising concerns about transparency and the credibility of the electoral process.
They also claimed that election results had been altered at some collation centres, urging INEC to adopt measures that would prevent a recurrence during the forthcoming polls.
Former Rivers State Labour Party chairman, Prince Favour Reuben, said opposition party agents had faced restrictions at several local government collation centres during previous elections.
Reuben alleged that individuals associated with the ruling party at the local government level often controlled access to the facilities, preventing opposition representatives from monitoring the collation process effectively.
“In most of the local government we monitored that time, they made sure agents of opposition political parties do not enter into collation centres and some of the results being collated were changed in that collation centre,” he said.
He argued that the alleged restrictions undermined confidence in the electoral process and called on INEC to consider using central police stations in each local government area as alternative collation venues.
“If INEC wants to make us believe that the coming election will be free, the election will be fair and credible, the collation centres should be moved to Police Stations. The central police station in each local government should be the place where election results should be collated,” Reuben stated.
He maintained that moving the centres would help limit interference and ensure that duly accredited party agents could observe the process without intimidation.
Similarly, the Secretary of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Rivers State, Ben Ogbogbulam, said opposition parties had already presented their concerns to INEC and urged the commission to reconsider the use of local government secretariats for result collation.
Ogbogbulam, who also chairs the Zenith Labour Party in the state, alleged that the current arrangement created opportunities for restricted access and possible manipulation of election results.
“We have since told INEC that collation of results should not be done at the local government secretariats,” he said.
He added that opposition parties were taking steps to ensure that alleged irregularities experienced in previous elections did not recur in 2027.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Dr Omenazu Jackson called on INEC to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action where necessary.
Jackson also cautioned political leaders against actions that could undermine the interests of voters, stressing the importance of protecting the electorate and ensuring a credible electoral process.
The calls come as political stakeholders begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with concerns over the transparency of result collation and the protection of party agents expected to remain key issues.
The allegations by the Rivers State stakeholders have yet to be independently established. INEC’s response to the specific proposal to relocate collation centres to police stations was not included in the information available.
