The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has drawn the curtains on the 2023 presidential electoral process having declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate of the incumbent All Progressive Congress (APC) winner and president-elect of the Federal Republic.
Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari has sent a congratulatory message to the new president-elect, acknowledging his victory and the flaws of the electoral process.
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Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the announcement, proceeded to the APC campaign headquarters in Abuja to deliver his acceptance speech alongside his wife, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
In his speech, he appreciated his party members and supporters for working together to grant him the victory and promised members of the opposition parties to be rest assured that his government will be for everybody.
He also used the same platform to address the youths of the nation assuring them that he had them in mind as he declared “To the youths; I hear you loud and clear. Whatever course it is, we will embark on it together”.
Although the just concluded has been unanimously declared by all observers as one of the most blatant displays of impunity and disregard for the will of the people by the ruling political class and the supposedly “Independent” umpire INEC.
The just concluded election has the record of the lowest voter turnout in recent times on first glance, but taking a deeper look shows something different. The 2023 presidential election saw a massive increase in registered voters between the ages of 18-23 but this did not reflect properly at the polls due to the high level of disenfranchisement these young voters faced.
There are video and photo evidences on the internet that show how INEC and it’s staff intentionally disenfranchised voters in certain areas and within a specific demographic, this led to INEC announcing a result that is not completely reflective of the will of the people.
Despite the sizable budget of N305 billion, INEC as an agency has proven its sheer incompetence, gross impunity and malevolence to steal the mandate of the electorate.
Opposition parties PDP and Labour Party have both held separate and joint press conferences to completely distance themselves and rejected the results as declared by INEC and we can be sure they will both seek redress at the election tribunal.
Meanwhile, the masses have had mixed reactions to the announcement of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president-elect. While some are elated that their preferred candidate emerged victorious, many more are disappointed in the result and INEC.
All in all, one thing is clear accorrding to the provisions of the electoral act any error made intentionally or unintentionally by INEC or any of its officers remains valid unto proven otherwise by a court. So there will be a retinue of litigation by political parties and their candidates to contest the declared resulst.
We however ensue for peace and orderliness while the aggrieved parties seek redress in the courts because a dysfunctional Nigeria affects us all.
