By Angela Atabo
Mr Akin Osuntokun , Director General, Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, has said Labour Party agrees with the 2023 General Elections reports released by the International Community and Civil Society observers.
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Osuntokun said this at a news conference tagged “The Final Election Observer Reports: A Vindication of a Heavily Compromised Election ‘on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the 2023 elections increased interest, awareness and participation of citizens in partnering practically, to bring genuine change to the country.
He however, said that the election, today remained under legal contest, and could not be concluded, until the legal processes had been rightly and judiciously exhausted.
“There is no doubt that these 2023 elections, represent a significant and overwhelming watershed in our country’s electoral, political and development history, and that this time, the entire nation and the international community also, stand determined to ensure, that electoral fraud and the manipulation of the true will of the people, will not stand.
“Having concluded the hearing stage, at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, the attention of the people and the international community remains transfixed on the judiciary.
“We commend, in particular, without equivocation, the courage, sense of focus and clarity of thought, expressed by various Election Observer groups, local and international, that were duly accredited to monitor the elections.’’
Osuntokun listed some observer group to include : Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, United States National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI) Joint International Election Observer Mission and European Union Election Observer Mission.
Others included: Commonwealth Observer Group, The African Union AU, ECOWAS and all other regional and local Observers, all deserve commendation.
He said that their doggedness in field engagement, in spite of the onslaught of violence, inducement, manipulation and all manner of evil, as witnessed in the elections, would serve as an unbiased record of the tragic events.
He added that it would also serve as motivation for its logical conclusion and inevitable resolution, according to the will of the people.
He said that in critically and broadly examining the independent reports of the various Observer missions, the consistency in their experiences and exposition, cannot be overlooked.
“Each and every Observer group, underlined the fact, that the elections fell short of citizens expectations, legal regulations and moral and international standards.
Osuntokun said they further reported, that ‘credibility of the 2023 election was greatly tarnished by numerous pitfalls.
He said that the election suffered several lingering deficiencies in election administration, including inefficient management of permanent voters cards (PVCs) distribution, failure of operational and logistical arrangements and malfunctioning of election technology.
Osuntokun said that the NDI-IRI International Election Observer Mission, said the 2023 elections in Nigeria fell short of citizens’ legitimate and reasonable expectations.
He said the report said significant logistical, technological, and communications failures by INEC , divisive rhetoric by political parties, political violence, regional disparities in electoral integrity, instances of vote manipulation, and marginalisation marred the electoral process.
Osuntokun said the European Union Election Observer Mission, said the 2023 general elections did not ensure a well-run transparent, and inclusive democratic process as assured by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said they listed abuse of incumbency by various political office holders distorted the playing field and that public confidence gradually decreased and was severely damaged Feb. 25 due to its operational failures and lack of transparency among other things.
“I have gone into detail, in highlighting the consistency in the observations of different independent Observer groups, and the severity of their condemnation of the election process.
“This is because of recent mischievous attempts to discountenance the uniformity of all reports, on the level of manipulation and illegality executed at the last elections.
“The Labour Party and the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation condemn vehemently, the negative and jaundiced responses on the EU Report and other Election Observers’ reports.
“We advice that those who have deployed hired ‘protesters’ to the offices of the EU, in respect of their election report, to desist .
“The EU Election Observation Mission, as well as the Civil Society Situation Room, NDI -IRI, Yiaga Africa among others are all INEC accredited observer groups, as well as very credible and long standing international and local stakeholders, in the Nigeria democratic process.
“Their reports are an essential contribution towards strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.’’
Osuntokun said the party commended the International Community and Civil Society, for their continued support, in growing and consolidating Nigeria’s democracy and urged them to take appropriate punitive action against perpetuators of electoral fraud.(NAN).
