Peter Obi was critiqued for his recent remark against Nigeria's electoral body and its practice.
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, represented by the Middle-Belt Pan Nigerian Forum, has called on Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate, to accept the 2023 Nigerian general election results and move on from his losses.
Dr Danladi Ceceko, the group’s spokesperson, emphasised in a statement that the election outcome, which declared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, accurately represents the will of the Nigerian people.
“It is evident for all to see that the 2023 general elections, especially the presidential poll, 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 for all participants to accept the results and move forward”, Dr Ceceko said.
The coalition expressed its concern over Mr Peter Obi’s recent remarks, which it believes are undermining the credibility of our institutions, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Supreme Court.
“It is quite unfortunate that Mr Peter Obi would discredit our institutions like INEC and the Supreme Court, which validated the credible elections conducted by INEC,” the spokesman said.
Obi's controversial remark
Pulse earlier reported that Obi identified the judiciary as the primary issue undermining Nigeria’s democracy rather than INEC.
He stated this at the fifth memorial for the late Justice Anthony Aniagolu at Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu, Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra.
He described it as ‘commodified ‘, suggesting that justice is often skewed in favour of those with the most financial resources.
Meanwhile, Dr Ceceko pointed out that some politicians’ criticisms of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seem contradictory, given the simultaneous demands from various groups to dissolve the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) and allow INEC to oversee local government elections. Advocates argue that irregularities and manipulation often plague local elections run by SIECs.
“It is evident that the political elite who frequently malign the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are often the same ones who oversee the worst elections in the country through the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs)”, he added.
