On Thursday, opposition parties demanded the resignation of Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), based on the report from the European Union Election Observer Mission. The report criticized INEC’s handling of the general elections and raised concerns about transparency and credibility.
The Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stated that the EU report supported their claims that the 2023 polls were neither transparent nor credible. However, INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected the parties’ accusations against Yakubu.
Although the electoral agency declared Bola Tinubu, the APC standard bearer, as the winner of the presidential election, the LP, PDP, and other opposition parties contested the verdict.
Tinubu received 8,794,726 votes, defeating Atiku Abubakar, the PDP standard bearer, who received 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi, the LP candidate, who received 6,101,533 votes.
Atiku and Obi rejected the results, holding separate press conferences where they claimed that the election involved violence and extensive rigging. Consequently, both candidates approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to seek legal recourse.
Barry Andrews, the Chief Observer and Member of the European Parliament presented the preliminary findings of the EU EOM report in Abuja on June 28. Andrews highlighted shortcomings in electoral laws and administration that hindered the conduct of well-organized and inclusive elections, leading to a loss of trust in INEC. He also emphasized the lack of transparency and operational failures that undermined confidence in the electoral process and the right to vote.
However, the Presidency and the APC criticized the EU report, and some party members protested against the stance of the EU EOM.
During a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Akin Osuntokun, the Director-General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, called for the immediate dismissal and prosecution of the INEC Chairman, holding him responsible for his role in the 2023 presidential elections. Osuntokun also demanded a forensic financial investigation into all the expenses and donations received by INEC before, during, and after the polls.
The campaign director made these demands at an international press conference held at the party’s campaign headquarters in Abuja.
He stated, “We also demand unequivocally the immediate dismissal from office and prosecution of Prof Mahmoud Yakubu and the commencement of forensic financial investigation into the expenditure of budgeted disbursements and donors’ funds received by INEC.
“This is in addition to the N300 billion appropriated from the national purse as well as other funds and materials received from International donor agencies.”
Osuntokun stated his observations regarding the current election petition, asserting that the evidence provided by both the PDP and LP validated their initial concerns about the election being tainted by irregularities.
In addition to demanding appropriate consequences for Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, as well as other senior administrative and field personnel accused of involvement, Osuntokun cautioned against any further attempts to intimidate the European Union and other election observers regarding their reports on the election.
Osuntokun stated, “The Labour Party and the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation condemn vehemently the negative and jaundiced responses on the EU report and other election observers’ reports by the spokesperson of APC administration and other ill-informed persons, which are totally in discord with the mood of the nation at this time and which also present an embarrassing contrast to their selective celebration of the 2019 election reports from these same observer groups.
“It is now only logical, bolstered by the final observer group reports, that the international community takes immediate and appropriate punitive action against Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, Barrister Festus Okoye, and other top administrative and field staff of INEC directly complicit in the desecration of these elections.
“We advise those who have deployed hired ‘protesters’ to the offices of the EU in respect of their election report to desist from any further wastage of public funds as the objective of intimidation is without basis and has failed from the beginning because indeed, the irregularities in the election were so excessively glaring with bitter personal and reported experiences by the overwhelming majority of Nigerians.”
Related News
Expanding on his statement, the prominent member of the LP highlighted that the report from the EU observer group aligned with the assessments of other internationally recognized and domestic observers who were duly accredited by INEC. Furthermore, he emphasized that the report echoed the prevailing public sentiment and was consistent with the experiences shared by the majority of Nigerian citizens who either participated in or witnessed the elections.
Expanding on his statement, the prominent member of the LP highlighted that the report from the EU observer group aligned with the assessments of other internationally recognized and domestic observers who were duly accredited by INEC. Furthermore, he emphasized that the report echoed the prevailing public sentiment and was consistent with the experiences shared by the majority of Nigerian citizens who either participated in or witnessed the elections.
In solidarity with the LP, the PDP expressed its support for the demand to suspend Yakubu, allowing for a forensic audit of the election-related expenditures of the electoral body.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, stated that the INEC chairman should temporarily vacate his position to make room for a more capable individual to oversee the operations of the agency.
He said, “Yes, he should step aside. We were the first to call for the sacking of the incompetent fellow for alleged corruption and legendary insincerity.”
Taking a different position, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) criticized Osuntokun’s demand, stating that INEC was not the root cause of Nigeria’s challenges.
Uche Nwegbo, the Deputy National Chairman of APGA, expressed this viewpoint during a telephone conversation with our correspondent, emphasizing that his party would not be forced to engage in a dispute with the LP.
“APGA has made its stand clear on the 2023 elections. There is no need joining issues with anyone calling for the INEC chairman to be suspended. The problem of Nigeria today is not INEC but a systemic one. We have maintained this position for a long time, and that is still our position today,” he said.
Responding to the criticism aimed at his superior, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, advised the LP to refrain from making absurd requests.
He said, “The latest and familiar call by the Labour Party for the dismissal and prosecution of INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu is misplaced. The reasons adduced by the party for making the demand are not only illogical but also ridiculous.
“To be sure, election observers, both local and international, are accredited by INEC to observe elections under specific rules and regulations. Under these rules, they are required to submit their respective reports to the commission. Such reports may or may not include their recommendations.
“Therefore, it is not within the remit of any election observer whatsoever to indict INEC. They are to observe and make recommendations if they have any, but never to indict. In the same manner, it is also not within the Labour Party’s jurisdiction to demand for the dismissal and prosecution of the INEC chairman over the outcome of an election in which the party fielded candidates.”
Oyekanmi added, “Interestingly, arising from the outcome of the same 2023 general election, the Labour Party has now produced one state governor, eight senators, 35 House of Representatives members, and 38 members of the state Houses of Assembly.
“It is surprising and strange that a political party that is in court to challenge the outcome of the 2023 presidential election would still go about openly advocating the issues before the court at press conferences, which it knows is sub judice.
“The Labour Party is one of the 18 political parties registered and being regulated by INEC in Nigeria. The party will do well by restricting itself to activities permitted under the rules and regulations governing the conduct of political parties.”
1 Comment
Fair enough