By-Elections: No Improvement In 2025, 10-Year Discrepancies Repeated — Expert

The Executive Director of the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Bukola Idowu, has faulted the conduct of last Saturday’s by-elections, saying discrepancies observed a decade ago are still being repeated in 2025.

Idowu, who made a guest appearance on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm programme on Tuesday, said reports from both domestic and international observers showed no difference between the irregularities noted in 2015 and those witnessed in the recent polls.

The Kimpact director highlighted widespread electoral violence, particularly in Kogi, as well as incidents in Anambra, Ogun, Enugu, Kaduna and Kano states.

He criticised the non-upload of all results on IReV portal despite the elections being postponed since 2024, arguing that the “lack of funding cannot excuse such lapses.”

READ ALSO: By-Elections Results Show INEC Doing Its Best To Ensure Free, Fair Polls — Oyekanmi

He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to end its reliance on the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for logistics, noting allegations of partisanship and calling for private-sector alternatives.

Idowu linked low voter turnout in the election to declining “trust in the electoral process,” which he described as “increasingly transactional.”

According to him, international partners are also disillusioned, with “little progress made despite their heavy investments.”

Saturday’s by-elections were held in 16 constituencies across 12 states, covering senatorial, federal and state assembly seats left vacant.

INEC had said the by-elections were conducted to fill vacancies created by resignations and deaths of lawmakers.