Obasanjo had on Monday worried over the conduct of the 2023 presidential election, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of having failed the country.
The former President further alleged massive rigging of the election and wondered why the Electoral Act 2022 as amended was trampled upon.
But in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said what the former President cunningly framed as an ‘appeal for caution and rectification’ is nothing but a calculated attempt to undermine the electoral process and a willful incitement to violence.
The Minister expressed shock and disbelief that a former President could throw around unverified claims and amplify wild allegations picked up from the street against the electoral process.
”Though masquerading as an unbiased and concerned elder statesman, former President Obasanjo is in reality a known partisan who is bent on thwarting, by subterfuge, the choice of millions of Nigerian voters,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed recalled that the former President, in his time, organized perhaps the worst election since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, hence he is the least qualified to advise a President whose determined effort to leave a legacy of free, fair, credible and transparent election is well acknowledged within and outside Nigeria.
”As the whole nation waits with bated breath for the result of last Saturday’s national elections, amid unnecessary tension created by professional complainants and political jesters, what is expected from a self-respecting elder statesman are words and actions that douse tension and serve as a soothing balm.
”Instead, former President Obasanjo used his unsolicited letter to insinuate, or perhaps wish for, an inconclusive election and a descent into anarchy; used his time to cast aspersion on electoral officials who are unable to defend themselves, while surreptitiously seeking to dress his personal choice in the garb of the people’s choice. This is duplicitous,” he said.
The Minister reminded the former President that organizing elections in Nigeria is not a mean feat, considering that the voter population of 93,469,008 in the country is 16,742,916 more than the total number of registered voters, at 76,726,092, in 14 West African nations put together.
”With a deployment of over 1,265,227 electoral officials, the infusion of technology to enhance the electoral process and the logistical nightmare of sending election materials across our vast country, INEC seems to be availing itself creditably, going by the preliminary reports of the ECOWAS Electoral Observation Mission and the Commonwealth Observer Group, among other groups that observed the election.
”Therefore, those arrogating to themselves the power to cancel an election and unilaterally fix a date for a new one, ostensibly to ameliorate perceived electoral infractions, should please exercise restraint and allow the official electoral body to conclude its duty by announcing the results of the 2023 national elections.
”After that, anyone who is aggrieved must follow the stipulated legal process put in place to adjudicate electoral disputes, instead of threatening fire and conjuring apocalypse,” he said.
from dailypost
All those that are partly or partially involved in destroying Nigeria are now acting like saints and activists... See OBJ sef ...Hissss
We just dey observe wetin dey happen
ReplyDeleteThere is a question that I would luv to ask political experts like teejay and Co.
DeleteIs this scenario possible? Where for instance, Obi bows out of the game giving Atiku his blessings or vice versa, Atiku giving Obi his blessings, does that mean they giver has given his votes to the recipients?
Like if Kwankwaso or Sowore bows out and give blessings to Atiku or Obi, does it translate to their votes being handed over to the former?
I ask becuse, Kai, because Apc has truly suffered, killed and impoverished many people and a potential next apc leader promising to uphold the anti-humane policies of previous leader is truly disheartening to well meaning individuals and youth.
We have never had it this rough before.
It's like nobody cares for the masses. They are elected to serve themselves and the elites, only. They don't care about us
I need answers biko
Buhari will remain a failure till
DeleteINEC is sham and total failure
Oga Lai Mohammed, can you swear that the election was credible enough?
ReplyDeleteEvery party rigged. Lp, Apc and Pdp. LP did not allow people vote other parties in the East, North and West. Apc did same in West and some part of North and Pdp did same in the North and some part of West. Rigging is a feature of Democracy and this was well taught in secondary school. Even American democracy is rigged. Why do they have party agents in each polling unit? Is to facilitate Rigging. So elections can never be free and fair
DeleteNothing in Nigeria will interest me anymore after this time if the rigging of this election is allowed to stand.
ReplyDeleteI was warned severely that this election will be rigged but I never listened. I thought Nigeria for once will prove us wrong but here we are again on the status quo.
So shameful and disgraceful.
I thought Nigeria was a terrible idea and the ipo-nk that you are currently foisting on the east is the only way to go? What changed? You people are acting like children who scatter a board game when it doesn't favor them. When your party wins it is grace, even others win, it is rigged. Na WA.
Delete13:28,
DeleteDon't mind us. Under age voters interviewed in videos in the east became "what's good for the gander", corpse caught on video changing result sheet ifo PO is 'just a one off".
I look forward to the day that we will have a negligible number of cheats, till then, some of us know that Baba OBJ throws tantrums when things don't go his way.
Even in ordinary "Ayo Game". Ask Abeokuta people.
***corper (that was autocorrect my dear corper).
DeleteYou maybe a fraudster but by GOD'S grace, you are not a corpse.
INEC is failure
DeleteHmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteObj should take several seats. His opinions are violent related and its sad coming from a former head of state. That's how he destroyed pdp with same sentimental comments. And this man was a thief that did not want anyone else to smell the money hence his problem with Atiku.
ReplyDeleteThis man again!
ReplyDeleteI'm very obidient but I didn't care less about dat his letter. The same Obj dat wrote several open letters against Good luck (who BTW is nw looking like the prophet dat wasn't appreciated by his own). The same Obj dat sold the present administration to us?
ReplyDeleteThese politicians are two faced chameleons that should be questioned even when they pretend acting for our own good.
Amicable, I like people that use their brains.
DeleteEvery govt since 2007, OBJ sold to us. He likes to feel like the kingmaker. And when he is thwarted, he resorts to his favourite attack position -Bullish.
The same OBJ that engineered the cancellation of the June 12 elections? The same OBJ that's a persona non grata within his own tribe? The same OBJ that people can't sleep with both eyes closed when he's around, or that people will choose to fast rather than eat from the same plate with? The same OBJ that Prof WS labelled a pathological liar.
The reason why of all the past presidents, he is the one sent on the least foreign missions is because of this divisive behaviour.
Baba, Please stay in "real retirement", and stop allowing us remember your deeds Sir.
This man was manually writing results for Maurice Iwu to announce in his time. GEJ and PMB, warts and all, have greatly improved elections in Nigeria and there are more improvements comingv with whoever is the next president. Nigerians should not set their lives on fire because of candidates that OBJ wines and dines with.
ReplyDelete13:32. You are clearly a reasonable individual. We can be so sentimental and forgetful really quickly.
DeleteI think this is the most credible election I have seen so far, for LP to win Nasarawa state and has impressive vote numbers in Kaduna and Adamawa. But everyone is still shouting rigging with everything on ground. Truly most people are tired of APC but the greediness of Atiku not allowing power to shift to the south which lead to obi joining LP gave power back to APC without stress.
ReplyDelete15:19, yep
Deleteso rigging did not happen in favour of APC, in many states, even PDP controlled states rigged too, what is even restraining them is the fact that the total number of votes cannot be more than the total number of accredited voters. If electronic transmission had taken place as stipulated by the law, there would be no room for such manipulation.
DeleteIt was Wike that chased Obi from PDP.
DeleteOBJ is just envious of anyone better than him at doing things. Always trying to find ways to compromise such a person. Agbaya Inaki.
ReplyDeletePa OBJ is not by any measure a saint, but, you see this his letter?
ReplyDeleteI am giving him 💯% and a thumbs up!
Even if my 'enemy' is speaking/saying the truth, I will acknowledge him.
TRUTH is TRUTH, it has no gender, tribe or religion.
It is what it is!
Peter Obi "people" had concluded plans to hack INEC servers in favor of Obi. INEC got wind of this and went manual. Peter Obi "people" are mad.
ReplyDelete