Nigeria 2023 elections: a show of shame – Peter Obi

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party and second runner up at the 2023 presidential elections, Mr. Peter Obi has described the 2023 general elections as a show of shame, which he said was plagued by allegations of fraud and irregularities that were widespread. In a series of posts via his X page on Saturday, the former Governor of Anambra State said the election was marred by glitches despite the enormous amount of money that was spent to conduct the exercise. Obi said Nigeria’s election is a sharp contrast to the recent South African election, which he described as transparent and seamless. He added that the differences between the two countries’ electoral processes are lamentable. He wrote: “The outcome of the recent South African election results remains a shining example of what a transparent and efficient democratic electoral process should look like. “With about 60% voter turnout, over 90% of polling open on time, allowing diaspora voting, the results and updates were real-time without any form of technical glitches during the election. “This demonstrated the robustness and transparency of their system. The seamless online dissemination of results further highlights their commitment to democratic principles and technological advancement. “This is in stark contrast to the show of shame that the giant of Africa, Nigeria, gave the World in 2023. Nigeria’s 2023 election, with less than 30% of Voter turnout, over 60% of the polling stations starting late, and no diaspora voting, the elections were plagued by allegations of fraud and widespread irregularities, all forms of glitches, despite an enormous expenditure to the tune of about a billion dollars (direct allocation of =N=313 Billion and donor agencies support). “The process has been widely discredited. The differences between the two countries’ electoral processes are both stark and lamentable. South Africa’s Election Results Centre, with its state-of-the-art electronic board, showcased results with unparalleled precision and speed.” Obi asserted that Nigeria’s electoral process is mired in controversy and lack of transparency, saying that it is a painful reminder of the country’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance. Therefore, he called for urgent comprehensive electoral reforms and for the establishment of a system that would restore the people’s faith in the country’s democracy. He added: “Meanwhile, Nigeria’s electoral process is mired in controversy and lacks transparency. This glaring juxtaposition is a painful reminder of our country’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance.] “It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive electoral reforms to ensure that our elections are free, fair, and credible. We must learn from South Africa’s example and strive to build a system that restores the people’s faith in our democracy. “The time for action is now, and we can not afford to delay any longer in addressing these critical issues for a new Nigeria is POssible!”

Tribunal: Atiku tenders statisticians’ reports against Tinubu

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Wednesday admitted as exhibits, three sets of reports prepared by a group of Statisticians on the electoral forms used during the last presidential election. Atiku’s Subpoened witness, PW21, a renowned Statistician, Samuel Oduntan made these reports available during his evidence-in-chief led by counsel to Atiku, Eyitayo Jegede SAN. Inspite of objections by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress APC against the testimony of the witness, the Presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani admitted the three reports as exhibits. At Wednesday’s proceedings, former NBA President, Abubakar Mahmud SAN, Wole Olanipekun SAN and Lateef Fagbemi SAN conducted the case of INEC, Tinubu and APC respectfully. Besides opposing the admission of the documents, the three respondents also kicked against the bid to consider the reports as being read in the open court. Meanwhile, Justice Tsammani has fixed June 15 for further hearing of the petition especially the cross examination of the witness