The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies have confirmed the retrieval of sensitive electoral materials—including a ballot box and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines—from the vehicle of Mustapha Salihu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman (North-East), during the Ganye Constituency by-election in Adamawa State.
The incident occurred at Unit 001 of the Ganye Old Market polling station, where tensions escalated after a group of concerned youths surrounded Salihu’s SUV, alleging an attempt to manipulate the electoral process. The crowd, chanting “election rigger,” demanded a thorough search of the vehicle. Upon inspection by heavily armed security operatives, a bag tagged “INEC” was discovered containing the aforementioned materials.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police on election duty, Taiwo Adeleke, immediately ordered the confiscated items to be transferred to a nearby police station. The materials are now in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force pending further investigation.
This development adds to growing concerns about electoral integrity in the by-election, which has already been marred by widespread allegations of vote-buying involving agents of both the APC and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Despite the controversy, voting across most polling units in Ganye reportedly proceeded peacefully, with a high voter turnout and prompt commencement of accreditation. However, the discovery of electoral materials in a party official’s private vehicle has cast a shadow over the credibility of the process.