A senior member of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), ESV Amb. Tony Okonigene, has accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, of misconduct and involvement in electoral fraud during the 2024 governorship election.
In an open letter dated October 9, 2024, and made available to Truthlive news, Okonigene expressed disappointment, alleging that Dr. Onuoha played a central role in manipulating election results in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okonigene claimed that the REC colluded with anti-democratic forces to rig results in three local government areas by bypassing ward collation centers and altering the results at the state headquarters.
He specifically cited an earlier letter from Dr. Onuoha, dated October 8, denying allegations that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legal team had been blocked from accessing sensitive election materials, including the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS).
Okonigene, however, countered these claims, accusing the REC of orchestrating APC-backed thugs to obstruct access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in a bid to further manipulate election data.
In his letter, Okonigene called for an investigation by NIESV’s national executive committee into Dr. Onuoha’s actions, arguing that such behavior tarnishes the profession and should disqualify the REC from any future roles within the institution.
This accusation adds to the ongoing tensions surrounding the highly contested election, which has already seen a series of allegations questioning the integrity of the electoral process in Edo State.
As the political climate remains tense, calls for transparency and justice continue to mount.