The Big Story: US Report Reveals Election Irregularities and Violence in Nigeria’s 2023 Governorship Election

The US Government has examined the conduct of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Nigeria during the Lagos State governorship election in March 2023.

The report, titled ‘2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria’, underscores the irregularities and violent episodes that occurred during the 2023 general election. Despite these irregularities, the report indicates that the election results largely mirrored the voters’ preferences, notwithstanding instances of intimidation and suppression in certain regions.

In the Lagos state election, APC supporters allegedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated areas, where Labour Party presidential candidate and ethnically Igbo Peter Obi emerged victorious in the national election on February 25.

Videos circulating on social media depicted APC supporters in Ojo making threats against ethnic Igbo voters believed to support Obi, assaulting journalists, disrupting voting processes, and physically obstructing voters in Amuwo-Odofin. Although police officers were present, they reportedly did not intervene in the attacks, and there is no evidence that the alleged perpetrators were apprehended or prosecuted.