Tribunal Verdict: Why Nigerians Don’t Trust INEC, Laolu Akande Reveals

• More reactions have continued to trail the final judgment of the presidential election petition tribunal in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
• However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) became a subject of controversy over its failure to transmit results electronically
• Public affairs analyst and media practitioner Laolu Akande said INEC's actions have cost them their reputation in the eyes of Nigerians

FCT, Abuja - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come under fire following the presidential election petition tribunal’s judgement that affirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, winner of the 2023 presidential polls.

The petition filed against INEC for its refusal to transmit election results electronically sparked controversy about the integrity of the electoral body and raised doubts about its ability to conduct a free and fair election.

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Reacting to this controversy, Laolu Akande, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s aide, said the action of the electoral body has dented their image in the eyes of Nigerians.

Mr Akande made this assertion while speaking as a guest on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” program on Friday, September 8.

He said:

“It is important to establish something we cannot basically run away from. INEC came out of this election as a damaged good. There is no doubt about that. INEC itself set up a standard. INEC determined the guidelines. INEC committed to the people of Nigeria that this is how we are going to declare the result of this election.

In fact, the chairman of INEC went abroad and said, ‘What we are going to do is that this results, when we get it, we would put it on IReV in real-time.”

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INEC failed Nigerians

Mr Akande further critiqued the electoral body for failing to uphold its promise at a time when Nigerians believed in them and had high hopes that democracy would be restored with the various reforms that had taken place within the electoral system.

He said despite the tribunal’s position on INEC’s decision not to transmit results in real-time electronically, the citizens would find it difficult to trust the electoral body.

Mr Akande said:

“INEC failed to do what it said it would do. Now it is right that if you look at the law, and I think the judges also affirmed, INEC has not really broken the law. But INEC has broken the trust of the Nigerian people.”

Tribunal judgment: “Judiciary must repair its reputation”, analyst gives reason

Following the final declaration of the presidential election petition tribunal in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigerians have been urged to support his government.

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This call was made by a public affairs analyst, Dr. Abubakar Mohammed Sani, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng.

He also appealed to the judiciary to put its house in order and avoid giving the impression that it runs a cash-and-carry justice delivery system.

Source: Legit.ng