Enugu By-election: NDC Candidate Bishop Oscar Ossai Rejects Results, Alleging Electoral Malpractice
Bishop Oscar Ossai, the NDC candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District, has rejected the by-election outcome, citing widespread irregularities and electoral malpractice.
He said the decision followed a review of the election process with party agents, supporters and stakeholders, and that the NDC does not accept the result announced by electoral authorities.
Ossai claimed the election fell short of democratic standards, pointing to the non‑deployment of the Bi‑modal Voter Accreditation System in some polling units, failure to transmit results electronically, and discrepancies between polling‑unit tallies and collated figures.
He also accused political actors of vote buying, voter inducement, intimidation, violence and tampering with election materials.
The candidate alleged that certain ad‑hoc staff appointed by INEC were members of the ruling APC, which, if true, would compromise the commission’s neutrality.
Ossai said these alleged irregularities raise serious doubts about the integrity of the vote and whether the declared result reflects the electorate’s will.
He added that the NDC has begun gathering evidence — documents, witness statements, polling unit records, video footage — for presentation to legal and constitutional bodies.
The party vowed to pursue justice through lawful channels and urged security agencies to investigate reports of harassment, intimidation and violence against voters, agents and supporters.
Ossai called on INEC, civil society groups, election observers and other stakeholders to conduct a thorough review of the process to strengthen public confidence in future elections.
Despite rejecting the result, he appealed to his supporters and residents of Enugu North to stay calm and law‑abiding while the party explores legal remedies, thanking voters for their backing and reaffirming his commitment to democratic principles.
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