• Says it’s hypocritical to accept Otti’s victory, reject Tinubu’s
• Obi condemns killing of police officers, others in Zamfara
Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the aegis of Middle-Belt Pan-Nigerian Forum, has urged the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, to respect the outcome of the 2023 general elections and stop crying over spilled milk.
According to the group, it is hypocritical of Obi to claim that the election, which brought Governor Alex Otti of Abia State to power, was credible and transparent while asserting that the election he lost was marred by irregularities.
“It is worth noting that both elections were conducted by the same Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Prof Mahmud Yakubu,” it noted in a statement issued by the spokesperson, Dr Danladi Ceceko, in Ibadan, yesterday.
However, Obi has condemned the killing of seven police officers and five others during an attack in Zurmi Local Council of Zamfara State. The coalition claimed that the election results that threw Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as President reflected the wishes of Nigerians.
Ceceko said, “It is evident for all to see that the 2023 general elections, especially the presidential, were among the freest and most transparent in our history. The outcome, upheld by the Supreme Court, is a true representation of the will of Nigerians, and it is time all participants accepted the results.”
The forum expressed disappointment with Obi’s critique of the electoral process, accusing him of undermining the country’s institutions, including INEC and the Supreme Court. He said, “It is quite unfortunate that Obi would discredit our institutions like INEC and the Supreme Court, which validated the elections conducted by INEC.”
If INEC was as problematic as some politicians have claimed, Ceceko argued, it raises the question of why there are calls from various quarters for the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to be disbanded and for INEC to conduct local council elections instead. He said, “It is evident that the political elite, who frequently malign INEC, are often the ones who oversee the worst elections in the country through SIECs.”
The coalition also faulted Obi’s comparison of the Nigerian electoral process to that of South Africa, noting that the South African elections were not without their challenges and technical glitches, including 579 petitions with 20 political parties rejecting the result as widely reported by international media.
“We really need Obi to do his due diligence and research before comparing INEC to other countries’ electoral bodies,” he said. “The South African election also experienced technical glitches, which were well-documented.”
TWELVE persons, including seven police officers and five residents, were reportedly killed late Wednesday when bandits attacked Magarya community in Zamfara.
The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Dalijan, said over 300 terrorists carried out the attack. Reacting in a series of posts on his X handle, Obi said he must continue to speak against the myriad of security challenges in Nigeria’s interest.
Expressing concerns over recent attacks in Katsina and Niger states, the former Anambra governor said the continued attacks “denied us opportunities for progress and development” while costing the country lives and property.
“I must, for the best interest of our nation, continue to add my voice against the ever-rising insecurity in Nigeria,” Obi wrote. “Above all, the viral insecurity has curtailed the freedom of our people to enjoy peace and happiness in a land of democratic freedom. Democracy without freedom from fear is a farce. Obi called on the government to fish out the perpetrators of the attacks and ensure they are prosecuted.
