A civil society organization, the Centre for Leadership and Justice, has expressed concern that the statements made by some political stakeholders regarding the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election could potentially “set the country on fire.” The organization has urged any aggrieved political party to seek legal recourse through the courts rather than calling for the cancellation of the elections. Mr. Emmanuel Umohinyang, the convener of the Centre for Leadership and Justice, made these remarks in response to demands from the Peoples Democratic Party, the Labour Party, and the African Democratic Congress for the cancellation of the 2023 general election, citing alleged irregularities that marred the electoral process nationwide.
Umohinyang emphasized that if the mentioned parties are dissatisfied with the election results, it is their responsibility to approach the election petition tribunal. He noted that the Court of Appeal has original jurisdiction in such matters. He disagreed with the notion of canceling the elections, asserting that the claims of over-voting, such as those raised regarding Ekiti State, are insufficient grounds for such a drastic measure. He pointed out that the same Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted elections in Lagos, where the Labour Party’s Peter Obi emerged victorious, and in Katsina, where the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar won in the President’s home state.
Umohinyang also criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, accused the INEC of compromising the electoral process and called for the rescheduling of the polls. Umohinyang remarked that Obasanjo’s administration was marked by some of the worst elections in Nigeria’s history, suggesting that he is not in a position to comment on electoral integrity. He stated, “If there is anybody who should speak about this election and comment on issues of rigging, it shouldn’t be Obasanjo because under his watch, in the 2003 elections, Nigeria was a war zone. Also in 2007, he introduced the phrase ‘do-or-die politics.'”
He further criticized Obasanjo for writing to President Buhari, who has consistently stated his commitment to leaving a legacy of free, fair, and transparent elections. Umohinyang described the letter as an insult and a slap to decency, asserting that it has no place in a modern democracy.
Comments are closed for this story.