Festus Keyamo, the former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has stated that the European Union Observer Mission (EUOM) report on the 2023 general elections does not delegitimize the electoral process.
Keyamo, a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made the statement on Monday in response to the report via his official Twitter handle.
Recall that less than a week ago, the EUOM released a report highlighting several flaws in the general elections and provided recommendations to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the report has generated divergent reactions, with some questioning the EU’s conclusions.
Keyamo, a spokesperson for the defunct Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, argued that irregularities are commonplace in elections worldwide.
He emphasized that the key question is whether these irregularities had any impact on the election outcome.
According to Keyamo, the EU’s report does not determine the winner or loser of an election. That power lies solely with the judiciary.
“Only a thorough review of the entire electoral process by the judiciary can ascertain the extent to which the alleged irregularities affected the election outcome. Moreover, legal processes are already in place to achieve this,” Keyamo explained.
He added, “The EU’s report is not a document that declares the winner or loser of an election. It merely highlights noticed irregularities and recommends improvements for future elections. Therefore, all the commotion surrounding the EU report is inconsequential when it comes to legitimizing or delegitimizing the incumbent government. That power and responsibility rest with the Judiciary.”
Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared the winner of the presidential election by INEC.
However, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party are currently challenging Tinubu’s victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
