Corps members, police rig elections, not INEC chair – Deji Adeleke

Billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke has alleged that some corps members and police officers are responsible for manipulating election results, arguing that the blame cannot always be placed on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Adeleke, President of Adeleke University and elder brother of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, said no INEC chairman could single-handedly prevent rigging across thousands of polling units.

He spoke on Sunday during the university’s 12th undergraduate and eighth postgraduate convocation ceremonies in Ede, Osun State.

“You cannot blame that on the INEC chairman when youth corps members are collecting ₦50,000 and changing figures at the polling unit,” Adeleke said.

“Even if the INEC chairman is a spirit, is he going to be at all the polling units in Nigeria?”

Citing the forthcoming election in Osun, Adeleke said the state has 3,763 polling units, making it impossible for the INEC chairman to personally supervise activities at every location.

“Is it humanly possible for the INEC chairman to be at all those polling units at the same time?” he asked.

“But they have entrusted it to young people like you, and yet they will collect money and change the figures.”

He also accused some police officers deployed for election security of aiding and abetting electoral malpractice despite having children whose futures depend on a functioning country.

“We also have policemen with children who need a good country to have a future, aiding and abetting the rigging process, and people are killed just because of elections,” he said.

Adeleke warned that election violence and result manipulation were damaging Nigeria’s international reputation and causing the country to be perceived as “primitive and backward” despite the talents of its citizens.

He also criticised judges who pervert justice, warning that Nigeria would continue to suffer the consequences if those entrusted with public responsibilities refused to change.

“It’s not too late for us to change. It’s never too late to start all over,” he added.