Popular Nollywood actor and political aspirant Emeka Ike caused a stir in Abuja after leading a protest to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged irregularities during the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary election for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency seat.
The actor, who participated in the party’s primary election, expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, claiming that the process lacked transparency and fairness. Accompanied by supporters, he visited the INEC office to register his grievances and demand an explanation regarding events that occurred during the election.
Speaking during the protest, Emeka Ike alleged that several aspirants and their supporters were not properly informed about the actual locations where voting was taking place. According to him, conflicting information about the venue created confusion and prevented many party members from participating in the exercise.
He further claimed that while some aspirants were waiting at designated locations, voting activities were already underway in other areas. By the time many supporters arrived at the correct venues, the electoral process had allegedly been completed.
The actor also raised concerns over reports that individuals who were not registered party members were allowed to participate in the voting process. He alleged that there were cases of improper accreditation and accused certain officials of manipulating the exercise in favour of preferred candidates.
During the confrontation, Emeka Ike reportedly vowed not to allow those responsible for the alleged irregularities to escape accountability. He insisted that the integrity of the democratic process must be protected and called for a thorough review of the primary election.
The situation became tense when party officials present at the location were confronted by the aggrieved aspirants and their supporters. According to eyewitness accounts, some officials left the area amid the growing protest, while security personnel monitored the situation to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Despite the allegations, electoral officials maintained that no unauthorized election activities were taking place within the INEC premises. They explained that activities observed at the location were unrelated to the conduct of the party’s primary election.
The incident has generated significant political discussion, with supporters of different aspirants calling for transparency and fairness in the party’s internal electoral process. Many stakeholders are now awaiting the outcome of any investigation or appeal that may arise from the disputed primary election.
The controversy highlights the growing tensions surrounding party primaries as political parties continue preparations for future elections across the country.