Abati tackles INEC over alleged monitoring of Ekiti election by APC Chairman

By Lateef Ibrahim

Prominent journalist and former presidential spokesman Reuben Abati has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to clarify circumstances surrounding the appearance of the Edo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, in attire associated with accredited election observers during the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election.
The incident, which gained widespread attention after a video circulated online, has fueled public debate over the neutrality of election monitoring processes and raised fresh questions about electoral transparency.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday,. Monitored in Abuja, Abati argued that election observers are expected to be independent and non-partisan, making the reported involvement of a serving party chairman particularly controversial.
According to him, observer roles are traditionally reserved for individuals and groups considered neutral, including civil society organizations and non-governmental bodies.
He therefore questioned how a prominent political figure could have gained access to materials or accreditation linked to election observation.
Abati stressed that public confidence in the electoral process depends on transparency and accountability, insisting that INEC should provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
He posed a series of questions to the electoral commission, including how the observer vest came into Tenebe’s possession, whether he was officially accredited, and under what authority he was allowed to participate in any observer-related activity.
The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of electoral processes in Nigeria, with critics arguing that even the perception of partisanship among election officials or observers can undermine public trust in election outcomes.
As debate continues, attention is likely to remain on INEC’s response and whether the commission will address concerns raised by political commentators and members of the public regarding the conduct of the Ekiti governorship election.