The conduct of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) election in Delta State has come under scrutiny following allegations of irregularities by some members who called for a transparent and credible electoral process.
The concerns were raised on Saturday in Asaba, the Delta State capital, where members gathered to elect new leaders of the guild.
One of the aggrieved members, Nollywood actor Michael Chubutelo Osu, popularly known as Yankaba Michael, alleged that individuals who were not registered members of the guild were brought to the venue to participate in the voting exercise.
Speaking with journalists, Yankaba said he had attended the election to exercise his constitutional right as a guild member but became concerned over what he described as attempts to compromise the integrity of the process.
“Some individuals who were allegedly not registered members of the Actors Guild were brought to the venue to participate in the voting process. We say no to illegal voters and no to mercenaries. The election has to be free and fair,” he said.
He further claimed that some of the individuals allegedly invited to vote could not identify themselves as registered members when questioned by members of the election task force.
The actor also accused a former state chairman of the guild of allegedly attempting to influence the outcome of the election by bringing in non-members to cast ballots.
According to him, genuine members insisted that only duly accredited members whose names appeared on the official register should be allowed to vote.
“I came here to vote, and after voting I will go home. I don’t like violence or illegal activities. All we want is a free and fair election,” he added.
Yankaba urged election officials to ensure strict adherence to the guild’s electoral guidelines to preserve the credibility of the exercise and maintain members’ confidence in the process.
Another member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed seeing unfamiliar faces at the venue but said he could not ascertain whether their presence was sufficient to affect the outcome of the election.
As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria and the election committee had not publicly responded to the allegations. NewsNet Nigeria could also not independently verify the claims made by the aggrieved members.
