The Labour Party candidate for the Nasarawa North senatorial bye-election, Mr. Labaran Maku, has raised the alarm over what he described as a planned effort to manipulate the outcome of the June 20, 2026 poll, accusing the Nasarawa State Government of targeting nine wards in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area.
Maku, a former Minister of Information, made the allegation on Wednesday during a press conference in Akpata, Nasarawa Eggon LGA, insisting that intelligence available to his campaign points to alleged plans to compromise the electoral process.
He claimed the identified wards—said to be within areas with high voter registration were being singled out due to the Labour Party’s strong support base.
“The nine wards are all in Nasarawa Eggon, where we have overwhelming support,” he said. “In Nasarawa Eggon, Akwanga and Wamba, Labour Party enjoys about 80 per cent support because of our grassroots engagement.”
Maku further alleged that secret meetings were being held to strategise on ways to influence the election outcome, warning that such actions could undermine public trust in the process.
He also raised concerns over alleged plans to deploy political thugs to disrupt the election, calling on the Federal Government to caution state actors against the alleged misuse of security agencies during elections.
“Governors must not use federal security agencies to create confusion during elections and later blame the President when crisis erupts,” he said, warning that voter suppression could trigger insecurity.
The Labour Party candidate also alleged that the state government was working with police authorities to redeploy senior officers in a manner he claimed was similar to what occurred during the APC primaries, which he said led to tensions.
Maku criticised the ruling party for allegedly failing to conduct proper primaries for the bye-election, instead accusing it of imposing a candidate on the electorate.
He expressed confidence in Labour Party’s chances, saying voters in Nasarawa North would prioritise competence and credibility over party affiliation when they go to the polls.
