A viral video circulating online has sparked fresh controversy over the conduct of the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress in a ward reportedly linked to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, in Abia State.
The footage, captioned by critics as “A Festival of Thieves” and “a global disgrace,” allegedly shows irregularities during the delegate and voting process, with some observers accusing electoral officials and party agents of compromising transparency. The video has since generated outrage across social media platforms, with many Nigerians demanding accountability and an independent review of the exercise.
Particularly troubling to critics are allegations that officials linked to the Independent National Electoral Commission were allegedly complicit in the disputed process. Opposition voices argued that the incident raises serious concerns about the integrity of internal party democracy and the credibility of electoral supervision.
Political analysts note that allegations of manipulation, vote inflation, and procedural irregularities have historically plagued party primaries across several political parties in Nigeria, often resulting in court disputes, factional crises, and public distrust in the electoral process.
Supporters of the ruling party, however, have cautioned against drawing conclusions solely from viral video clips, insisting that context, verification, and official investigation remain necessary before assigning blame.
The emergence of the footage has reignited wider conversations about electoral reforms, transparency within party structures, and the urgent need to strengthen democratic institutions ahead of future elections.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the APC leadership nor officials of INEC had issued a detailed official response regarding the allegations contained in the viral video.
