LEADERSHIP
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday, called on the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmoud to declare, “void and inadmissible for election declaration”, election results in polling units where the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) malfunctioned.
Obasanjo in a letter issued yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, specifically called on President Muhammadu Buhari to avert what he termed as the looming danger “by ordering cancellation of election results in all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test.“
Also yesterday, the National Peace Committee jointly chaired by a former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, called on the INEC to do justice to the complaint raised by Nigerians concerning the election.
He said, “Let me appeal to the chairman of INEC, if his hands are clean, to save Nigeria from the looming danger and disaster which is just waiting to happen. If the Chairman can postpone elections four days to the election, he can do everything to rectify the errors of the last two days – no BVAS, no result to be acceptable; and no uploading through Server, no result to be acceptable.
“Whereas, BVAS and Servers have been manipulated or rendered inactive, such results must be declared void and inadmissible for election declaration. Chairman INEC, I have thought that you would use this wonderful opportunity to mend your reputation and character for posterity.
“Your Excellency, President Buhari Muhammadu, tension is building up and please let all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test be cancelled and be brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023.”
“BVAS and Server officials will be changed. To know which stations or polling units were manipulated, let a Committee of INEC staff and representatives of the four major political parties with the Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association look into what must be done to have hitch-free elections next Saturday. Mr. President, may your plan and hope for leaving a legacy of free, fair, transparent and credible election be realised.
“Mr. President, please don’t let anybody say to you that it does not matter or it is the problem of INEC. On no account should you be seen as part of the collusion or compromise. When the die is cast, it will be your problem as the Chief Executive of the nation.
The statement reads, “Nigerians must be reminded that the world has invested a lot of good will towards us in these elections. We have taken note of the dissatisfaction among voters who braved all harsh weather elements to perform their civic duties. All citizens deserve to be rewarded by a process that ensures that their votes truly count.
“We appeal to INEC to heed the grievances being expressed, to take the necessary steps to escalate investigations of all allegations of infractions and to ensure that justice is clearly done to all citizens who went out to vote…
