Political party leaders and civil society organisations 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 made the call in Port Harcourt, alleging that opposition party agents had faced intimidation and restricted access to collation centres during previous elections, raising concerns about the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
They argued that designating police stations as alternative collation venues would promote transparency, guarantee equal access for accredited party agents and strengthen public confidence in election results.
Former Labour Party chairman in Rivers State, Favour Reuben, alleged that opposition agents had been denied access to collation centres by officials aligned with the ruling party at the local government level during previous polls.
Reuben proposed that police stations be considered as alternative venues, stressing that access should be restricted to duly accredited party agents to prevent interference and ensure an orderly collation process.
He maintained that all political parties must be given equal opportunities to observe the collation of results to minimise suspicion and prevent disputes over declared outcomes.
The Rivers State Secretary of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Ben Ogbugbulam, also backed the proposal, urging INEC to consider the recommendation before the 2027 elections.
Ogbugbulam said addressing concerns about access to collation centres was necessary to ensure that political parties had confidence in the process and that election results were accepted as credible.
A human rights advocate, Dr Jackson Omenazu, called on INEC to investigate the allegations of intimidation and possible result manipulation and introduce measures to safeguard the integrity of the collation process.
Omenazu stressed that the electoral commission had a responsibility to address concerns about electoral conduct and ensure that declared results accurately reflected the votes cast by the electorate.
He argued that protecting voters’ choices required credible procedures, effective oversight and safeguards against interference during the collation of results.
The stakeholders maintained that any perceived advantage given to one political party at collation centres could undermine confidence in the electoral process and fuel post-election disputes.
They urged INEC to engage political parties and other relevant stakeholders in developing practical measures to guarantee transparency and equal participation at every stage of the elections.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the PILEX Centre, Courage Nsirimovu, called on citizens to monitor INEC and its ad hoc staff throughout the electoral process to promote transparency and accountability.
Nsirimovu said public vigilance was essential to ensuring that electoral officials discharged their responsibilities in accordance with established rules and procedures.
He stressed that citizens, political parties and civil society organisations had important roles to play in monitoring electoral activities and reporting suspected irregularities to the appropriate authorities.
The stakeholders agreed that ensuring equal access to collation centres and strengthening oversight mechanisms would be critical to preventing disputes and improving public confidence in the outcome of the 2027 elections.
However, the allegations of intimidation and result manipulation remain claims by the stakeholders and require independent investigation by the relevant authorities.
As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the stakeholders urged INEC to consider their recommendations and implement appropriate safeguards to ensure a transparent, credible and inclusive electoral process.
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