"INEC Yet to Demonstrate Its Strength": Lawyer Gives Reason

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to up its game and explore its potential to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria.

Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.

Titilope Anifowoshe, a legal practitioner, in an interview with Legit.ng, adjudged the first off-cycled election conducted by the electoral umpire as an opportunity for the commission to redeem its image, but the reverse was its case.

Barrister Anifowoshe speaks on outcome of Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa elections

Barrister Anifowoshe was of the view that the report of the electoral fraud in the recently concluded off-cycled election in the country was a testament that INEC was yet to fully explore its potential and demonstrate its strength.

Read also

7 Reasons Why Diri Won Bayelsa 2023 Governorship Election

The legal icon made the comment while reacting to the outcome of the governorship election in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa.

The governorship elections were conducted on Saturday, November 11. Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa and his counterpart in Imo, Hope Uzodimma, were re-elected for a second term in office.

While Diri contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uzodimma was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In Kogi, Usman Ododo, the flagbearer of the APC and the anointed candidate of the outgoing Governor Yahaya Bello, emerged the victor in the poll.

Major issues arising from Bayelsa governorship election

There are reports of electoral fraud and vote buying in some cases. For instance, in Bayelsa state, it was alleged that the PDP paid N13 thousand, while the APC paid N15 thousand naira to induced the electorates.

Read also

Imo: 2 Things Uzodimma should prioritise after winning second term

Another concern raised in the election in the alleged illegal cancellation of over 80 thousand votes of the candidate of the APC in Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva, who has refused to congratulate Diri and might seek a redress in court.

INEC's potential yet to be explored

But in her reaction to the outcome of the first off-cycle election INEC conducted, the legal icon was of the view that the electoral umpire failed to use the poll to correct the mistakes made in the 2023 general elections conducted in February and March.

She said:

"The first off-cycle election was supposed to be an opportunity for INEC to showcase its takeaway from the February Presidential election.

"Rumors of electoral fraud have made it seem impossible for the Independent National Electoral Commission to fully demonstrate its strength as an impartial umpire."

Source: Legit.ng