Atiku demands probe into ‘contrived’ voter figures in Osun

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an immediate investigation into what he described as “contrived” voter registration figures from Osun State, warning that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process could be compromised if the issue is left unchecked.

Atiku’s Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, told Vanguard in Abuja on Thursday, August 28, that the former vice president was alarmed by the sharp disparity between Osun’s reported registration numbers and those of other states.

“Yes, His Excellency is, of course, concerned about it,” Ibe said. Figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that Osun State recorded about 393,000 new voter registrations in just over a week of the continuous voter registration exercise. In contrast, at least five other states combined reported fewer than 5,000 registrations in the same period.

“Any attempt, any plan, or any agenda to inflate figures in particular states, or across the country, should be investigated. There should be an investigation so that no one is left in doubt, and so that the figures published by INEC are seen as genuine, not contrived,” Ibe warned.

He emphasized the need for swift action to safeguard public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“That is important. It needs to be investigated without delay. There is an urgency to this because what we are trying to do is to remove every obstacle that could undermine the integrity of the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he added.

Atiku’s remarks echo similar concerns raised by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which described the Osun registration figures as statistically implausible and questioned their credibility.