The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) candidate for the chairmanship of Bida Local Government Area, Abdulmalik Usman Nagenu, has accused the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) of omitting his name and that of his party from the ballot papers amid the local government council elections.
Nagenu, from Wadata Ward in Bida, had entered the contest under the NNPP platform and was among the first to register for the election.
According to his claim, when voting commenced he discovered that his name and party were not listed on the ballot papers.
In a video circulating on social media, Nagenu said, “My name and my party were missing from the ballot papers despite being among the first candidates to register for the election.”
He described the development as “disappointing” and called on the authorities to immediately rectify what he termed an error capable of undermining the credibility of the poll.
Nagenu, who said he enjoys strong grassroots support in Bida, also warned that he might consider a peaceful protest if the matter is not addressed promptly.
Meanwhile, alerting the context ahead of the election, reports have highlighted tensions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over candidate selection and concerns about insecurity in certain local government areas.
Meanwhile SaharaReporters reported that aggrieved residents of Magama Ward in Nasko Local Government Area, Niger State, set the NSIEC office on fire following reports that official result sheets were missing from materials delivered for the forthcoming local government election.
Eyewitnesses said electoral officials brought ballot papers to the area but allegedly failed to include the official result sheets, which triggered outrage among the residents, who accused officials of attempting to manipulate the election process.
The protest quickly turned violent, with the electoral office engulfed in flames.
The full extent of the damage has yet to be determined, but several sensitive electoral materials were reportedly destroyed.
Residents told SaharaReporters that they were frustrated by what they described as a deliberate attempt to compromise the election, demanding immediate action from electoral authorities.
Security personnel were deployed to the area to restore order, but details of any arrests have not been confirmed as of this report.
The incident comes ahead of Niger State’s local government elections scheduled for 1 November 2025, which have been marked by political tension and administrative changes.
Allegations of political interference and intimidation, such as the arrest of a student from Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University in Mokwa, have further heightened anxiety among residents.
