The appearance of the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Jarrett Tenebe, at the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election on Saturday as an INEC-accredited observer has drawn sharp criticism and raised urgent questions about the integrity of the electoral observation process.
By acting as a purportedly neutral observer, Tenebe has undermined the principle of non-partisanship that the electoral process requires.
In the Nigerian electoral system, there is a clear, non-negotiable divide between political party actors and independent observers.
INEC’s own guidelines mandate that observers must be neutral, detached, and free from partisan influence to provide an objective assessment of the polls.
A party chairman is a partisan combatant. Their sole professional mandate is to secure victory for their political party.
When a figurehead like Tenebe, who is deeply entrenched in APC politics, is granted accreditation as an observer, it suggests a failure in the vetting process or an alarming blurring of lines between the regulator and the regulated.
Critics argue that Tenebe’s role as a partisan stakeholder makes it impossible for him to provide an objective view, rendering his presence as an observer a deceptive label.
When partisan leaders are allowed to cloak themselves in the credibility of independent observers, it invites skepticism about the fairness of the entire exercise.
This incident serves as a critique of current accreditation practices, highlighting a trend where the watchdog role is being co-opted by those who have a vested interest in the outcome.
If the independence of the electoral process is to be preserved, INEC must take steps to ensure that party officials are strictly confined to their roles as party agents, rather than being permitted to pose as impartial arbiters of democracy.
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