Abuja, Nigeria — Nigerian civil society organizations have been holding daily protests to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and authorities to review the February and March elections. The presidential, gubernatorial and parliamentary polls were marred by violent attacks that resulted in deaths, injuries, voter suppression and intimidation. Observers say the elections were characterized by widespread violence, technical problems and vote‑buying, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the outcomes.
Protesters, including members of the Free Nigeria Movement, marched through the capital on Tuesday, holding placards as music filled the air. The daily demonstrations, which began last week, call for accountability in the electoral system. Moses Paul, who convened the Free Nigeria Movement protests, demanded the resignation of INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, accusing him of lying and abusing citizens’ right to choose. “We pass a vote of no confidence and call for his immediate sack. We cannot afford to continue a culture of lawlessness without consequences,” Paul said.
INEC declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu the winner of the February presidential election, a result that protesters argue was announced too quickly despite obvious challenges. The commission also failed to honor its promise to electronically transmit results during the presidential polls. In response, the opposition People’s Democratic Party and the Labour Party have filed petitions challenging Tinubu’s declaration as president‑elect. Tinubu, of the ruling All Progressives Congress, is expected to be sworn in within two months, though protests and court challenges may affect the timeline.
On Monday, national police authorities reported that 781 people had been arrested for disrupting the February and March polls, and 66 firearms were recovered from suspects. Police chief Usman Alkali Baba discussed the arrests during an assessment meeting with security heads in the capital. Earlier in March, INEC acknowledged technical and security challenges and pledged improvements.
Idayat Hassan, director of the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Development, noted some progress in the handling of local elections compared with the presidential vote, citing earlier poll openings, functional voter‑authentication technology and result uploads. However, she emphasized that the elections were still “hugely blighted by violence, vote trading and voter suppression.” Hassan also pointed to gaps in Nigeria’s electoral laws that fail to prioritize citizens’ rights to fully participate, allowing political actors to exploit legal weaknesses to incite violence in opposition strongholds.
Amnesty International condemned the electoral violence that disenfranchised thousands of voters and urged authorities to punish perpetrators as a deterrent. The organization warned that when people are paid to vote, the validity of the outcome becomes extremely questionable, likely prompting further protests across the country.
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