INEC Debunks Result Manipulation Claim in Kwali Polling Unit
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has dismissed allegations of result manipulation at Kuroko Health Centre Polling Unit in Yangoji Ward, Kwali Area Council, during the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Area Council election.
In a press statement signed by Aminu K. Idris, Resident Electoral Commissioner for the FCT, on February 24, 2026, the Commission described as “untrue and misleading” claims circulating online that the polling unit recorded 1,219 votes for a political party despite having only 345 registered voters and 213 accredited voters.
According to INEC, the controversy stemmed from a clerical error made by the Presiding Officer while recording the score of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Commission explained that after sorting and counting the ballots, the Presiding Officer initially recorded 122 votes for the party. However, during reconciliation, an overcount of one vote was discovered. Following a recount conducted openly at the polling unit, the figure was corrected to 121.
INEC stated that the Presiding Officer cancelled the erroneous digit and corrected the figure in both numeric and written formats. The official result uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) reflects 121 votes — not 1,219 as alleged on social media.
The Commission further confirmed that party agents present at the polling unit signed the corrected result sheet, and the same figure was entered into the Ward Collation Form EC8B and used for collation at both ward and Area Council levels.
BVAS and IReV Safeguards
INEC emphasized that its result management system, which includes the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV portal, makes the alleged manipulation technically impossible.
The Commission explained that Presiding Officers are required to upload images of completed Form EC8A to IReV and enter party scores directly into the BVAS device. The system performs automatic validation checks to ensure that total votes do not exceed the number of accredited voters and that all figures are mathematically consistent.
In the Kuroko polling unit case, INEC noted that the number of accredited voters was 213, while the APC scored 121 votes. The total votes recorded were consistent with accreditation figures and passed BVAS validation checks.
According to the Commission, had a figure such as 1,219 been entered, the BVAS device would have automatically rejected it, flagged over-voting, and prevented finalization.
INEC reiterated that the FCT Area Council election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and its guidelines.
The Commission urged members of the public and media commentators to verify information using official records before drawing conclusions that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
INEC affirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the continuous improvement of Nigeria’s electoral system, stating that while genuine errors may occur, they are promptly investigated and corrected.
