- Chief John Okezie, the Returning Officer for Bende Ward in Abia State, has denied allegations of vote manipulation during the APC presidential primary election after a viral video showed him counting figures inconsistently.
- He described the clip as AI-generated and He further threatened legal action against those behind the circulation of the clip.
A viral video from the APC presidential primary election in Bende Ward, Abia State, has sparked controversy online after showing a returning officer counting figures in a manner many Nigerians described as suspicious.
In the trending clip, the official was heard counting:
“7, 8, 9, 10… 90, 92… 1011.”
The video quickly gained traction on social media, with many users alleging that figures from the primary election may have been manipulated.
The ward is reportedly linked to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, further intensifying online reactions surrounding the exercise.
Reacting to the controversy, Chief John Okezie, identified as the Returning Officer of Bende Ward, dismissed the claims and insisted that the video circulating online was edited and artificially manipulated.
“How can people be sharing an edited video to make it look like the numbers were manipulated? The general public should know that the video of me counting during the presidential primary election in Abia State is AI-generated,” he stated.
He further threatened legal action against those behind the circulation of the clip.
“I have already informed my lawyer, and I will take legal action against anyone involved,” he added.
The explanation, however, triggered even more reactions online, with many Nigerians mocking the AI claim and questioning the credibility of the election process.
Reacting on X, user @joakinchinatu wrote:
“Na so dem go Dey lie against AI.”
Another user, @kayceekenny1, commented:
“Shameless man. Lying through your teeth.”
@Adathebeloved also reacted:
“Corruption always accusing AI. AI please take these people to court.”
Others expressed concern over Nigeria’s electoral process, while some defended the official and argued that edited clips can easily misrepresent events online.
