The recently concluded presidential election in Nigeria witnessed improved participation, with numerous Nigerians taking to the polls to cast their votes in hope of airing their grievances as to the consistent dilapidations that have ravaged the social, economic, and political status quo. The election saw Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Party declared the winner, with PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi clinching the second and third positions respectively. Though completed, the legitimacy of this election process remains in question, with various complaints of electoral malpractices and violence across most states in the country.
Prior to the declaration of Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election, citizens across numerous states had taking to social media to protest against the frivolous handling of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Whilst many complained about the huge disenfranchisement that erupted on the scheduled Election Day, others pointed out the immense electoral malpractice such as violence, snatching of ballot boxes, vote buying, and the massive riggings experienced across the country.
Complaints of electoral malpractice across Lagos, Imo, and Rivers suffice.
In Lagos, there were numerous complaints about voters intimidation, vote buying, violence, and ballot box snatching. In numerous polling units, elections allegedly failed to hold but results were collated. This sufficed in States like Imo and Rivers too, where votes were not only allegedly manipulated but also showed numerous violence. In fact, the inefficiency of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) was also scrutinized. Despite the promises of Mahmood Yakuku for a free, fair and credible election, reports allege that non of this was fulfilled in the recently concluded presidential election.
Since the declaration of APC’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President-Elect, many political parties and their candidates have criticized the insincerity of the election. Most Nigerians have also lost faith in the credibility of the electioneering institution to independently curate the general election. In fact, Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, whilst addressing the matters associated with the presidential election, noted that malpractice’s were allegedly experienced in the result collation. He noted that INEC, via its lack of coordination, has cast huge disappointment in the mind of Nigerians that took part in the election.
Observers report that Nigeria’s election was peaceful and transparent.
Abure further stated that the use of BVAS which catalyzed the amendment of the 2022 Electoral Act for electoral transmission of results, was also overtly truncated. He questioned why the INEC servers were down only for the upload of the presidential election. This, he noted, gave room for electoral manipulation of the announced result. Upon rejecting this election result, the Labour Party Chairman disclosed that there was sufficient evidence that confirmed the manipulation of the presidential election.
However, contrary to these election malpractice reports by Nigerians, Independent Foreign Observers Mission has declared that the Presidential and NASS election which took place on March 25, 2023, was properly conducted. This was stated in a preliminary report which was released while the presidential results were still being collated by the INEC officials in Abuja. These foreign observers, who had monitored several elections across Europe and America indicated that the election was transparent and immensely peaceful.
Naira redesign policy minimized vote buying in concluded election.
They noted that there was a major turnout of voters across all the geopolitical zones in the country. They however singled out the South West and South East as the regions that recorded the most turnouts. The observers also noted that the practice of vote buying was hugely minimal, adding that anti-graft agencies and the EFCC were effective in arresting people who indulged in vote buying. They also indicated that the recent naira redesign policy, which caused immense scarcity of cash was also instrumental in minimizing vote buying.
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Nigeria’s election, properly conducted – The Independent Foreign Observers Mission declares one of the most transparent. – Express your point of view.
The Nigeria election was not credible to Nigerians. The results was manipulated by INEC in favour of APC. Nigerians felt the pains, how can INEC failed to transmit results from the polling unit. The election was a proper scam to Nigerians
The presidential election just concluded doesn’t match minimum expectation of the masses from INEC saying something and later do another thing against her own rules,to ballot snatching and also writing of results from where there is no election at all.The cashless policy also help in reducing malpractice in some ways.
The election was nothing close to free and fair. INEC displayed their lack of credibility and responsibility. Lots of Nigerians are quite hopeless; as this election was suppose to be a turning point
This election results is clearly not the will of the people. Despite the energetic movement, zeal and hope of the youths and many other Nigerians towards giving the nation hope again.
They also suggested that the recent redesign of the naira, which resulted in an extreme shortage of cash, played an important role in reducing the amount of money that was spent on purchasing votes.
During the most recent election for the presidency in Nigeria, which was held not too long ago, there was a significant increase in voter turnout, with a large number of Nigerians going to the polls to cast their ballots.
Despite the fact that it has been completed, the legitimacy of this election process is still being called into doubt due to numerous reports of electoral malpractices and violence across the majority of states in the country.
There were a number of allegations about voters being intimidated, people buying votes, there being violence, and ballot boxes being stolen in Lagos.
This was said in an initial report that was distributed while the INEC personnel in Abuja were still in the process of tallying the votes for the presidential election.
Due to a lack of coordination on the side of INEC, many Nigerians who participated in the election have been left with a profound sense of dissatisfaction.
The Head of the Labour Party revealed that there was sufficient evidence to indicate that the presidential election had been manipulated.
Whether the legitimacy of the election process remains in question or not all parties involved rigged their votes. One thing I will say would be the best rigger won the election! Complaints of the just concluded election involving electoral malpractices and violence should be well managed, it is something we expect.
Although the looser runner-up claims the election was rigged, I think it’s so more than well conducted in real sense considering the technological process that was adopted.
The losser are claiming the election was rigged and not fair that is not the will of the people is all because they lose that why assuming they are the one that won will they say the election was rigged likewise the winner also if he is the losser he will claim it was rigged. The election is well conducted and good they will of the people is what was elected
From INEC claiming one thing and then doing another against her own regulations to ballot snatching and writing results from where there was no election, the presidential election did not meet the minimum expectations of the masses. In certain instances, the cashless approach reduces malpractice.
There have been several claims of electoral malpractices and violence in the majority of states, casting doubt on the legality of this election process even though it has concluded.
According to the leader of the Labour Party, there is enough evidence to suggest that the presidential election was rigged.
The 2023 presidential election will go down in history of Nigeria as one the election that was well conducted, in which the Nigerian youth came out in mass to vote but was marked with irregularities from the end of INEC. Foreign observers can choose to say what they see just to keep peace in Nigeria but here at home we saw it all.
The Independent Foreign Observers Mission need to declare the Presidential general election as one of the most transparent one in order to maintain peace in the country. More so, our President ensures that everything was made available to allow peaceful and transparent election.
I don’t know from what perspective this International observers are seeing from. The election was not free and fair at all. It is unfortunate the court will determine how it will go.