A human rights activist and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has faulted the 2023 presidential election, saying “it cannot be portrayed as a worthy legacy for the country.”
The All Progressives Congress candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, won the February 25 election by defeating his closest rivals, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar; the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi; and the New Nigeria Peoples Party candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
He was on Wednesday declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission which also handed him a Certificate of Return.
Reacting, Adegboruwa, in a statement, titled, ‘The 2023 General Election: Matters Arising,’ said the election was marred by reports of suppression, intimidation and harassment of voters, corruption of the electoral process, manipulation of election results by politicians and logistics problems on the part of the electoral umpire, amongst many others.
He said, “No legitimacy can spring forth from any process that is devoid of transparency and accountability. Observable cases of threat to voters, physical injury and even death in some cases, all indicate some form of deliberate design to compromise the electoral process of the last presidential election. This is totally unacceptable.
“INEC has a big burden to demonstrate integrity, accountability and transparent adherence to the laws regulating the electoral process and its own guidelines, which will enable us to determine the truw will of the people, no matter the circumstances.”
Adegboruwa lamented that Nigeria’s electoral process had not gained any advantage from the robust efforts of well-meaning Nigerians, leading to the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The desire for peace and progress in any land can only be achieved through the pursuit of truth and justice. In the same vein, all aggrieved persons must embrace the legitimate avenues created by law to achieve lawful remedies.
“The presidential election of February 25, 2023 cannot be portrayed as a worthy legacy for our dear country,” he added.
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