By joshua 
WAKE UP CALL: Nigeria Must Not Normalize Electoral Manipulation Ahead of the General Elections
By Christopher Sunday
Recent developments surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election have once again raised serious questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s internal party democracy and, by extension, the credibility of the broader electoral environment as the nation approaches the next general elections.
Viral videos alleging irregularities in vote counting during the APC primary have circulated widely, sparking concern among citizens, observers, and stakeholders who fear that what happens inside party structures may be a preview of what to expect at the national level.
While political parties are entitled to conduct their internal processes, the credibility of those processes matters deeply in a democracy. When the foundation is perceived to be unstable, confidence in the entire system inevitably weakens.
Primary elections are supposed to reflect fairness, transparency, and genuine competition among aspirants. However, where allegations of erroneous counting, delegate manipulation, or procedural inconsistencies arise, even if contested, they send a troubling signal to the public.
The concern many Nigerians are now raising is simple but serious: if a political party cannot guarantee transparency within its own internal elections, what assurance exists regarding the conduct of national elections involving far greater stakes, broader actors, and more complex logistical systems?
Nigeria’s electoral process has evolved over the years, with improvements in technology, voter accreditation, and result transmission. Yet, trust remains fragile. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has introduced reforms aimed at strengthening credibility, but public confidence is still frequently tested by allegations of result inconsistencies, disputed collation processes, perceived political interference, and communication gaps during critical stages of elections.
When such concerns are combined with controversial internal party primaries, citizens naturally become more alert and more skeptical.
Opposition parties must recognize that democracy is not won only on election day. It is built through vigilance, preparation, and strategic engagement long before ballots are cast. They must strengthen polling unit structures, deploy robust result tracking systems, train and protect grassroots agents, avoid internal fragmentation that weakens electoral competitiveness, and present credible, united alternatives to the electorate. An unprepared opposition cannot safeguard the mandate of the people, no matter how strong public dissatisfaction may be.
Beyond party politics, the ultimate responsibility lies with the Nigerian people. Citizens must insist on transparency at every stage of the electoral process, reject manipulation in all its forms regardless of the source, actively monitor elections at polling unit level, demand accountability from electoral institutions, and refuse normalization of irregular processes as “politics as usual.”
No democracy can thrive where concerns about transparency are routinely dismissed or ignored. Whether in party primaries or national elections, the integrity of the process is the foundation of legitimacy.
The recent controversies surrounding the APC primary election, amplified by viral footage and public debate, should therefore not be brushed aside as routine political noise. Instead, they should serve as a reminder that vigilance is not optional in a fragile democracy.
As Nigeria moves toward the next general elections, the message is clear: electoral integrity must not be assumed. It must be demanded, protected, and verified at every stage. Because when irregularities are normalized at any level, they eventually become a pattern at every level.