“Stop All Form Of Attacks And Social Media Insults On INEC Chairman” – Group Warns

The opposition parties have been encouraged by the Nigerian Youth Network for Good Governance and Sustainable Democracy to cease criticizing Mahmood Yakubu, the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission, in the media.

After INEC proclaimed Bola Tinubu the victor of the 2023 presidential election, the candidates for that office from the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and the Labour Party, Peter Obi, filed a petition with the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

In a statement made available to our correspondent on Monday, Constantine Ikechukwu, the chairman of the board of trustees, denounced the LP, PDP, and their supporters for continuing to disregard the law by making unreserved comments about the results of the 2023 presidential election while the PEPT is occupied with hearing their petitions.

The Chairman said, “Unfortunately, both the petitioners, their lawyers and supporters have continued to make disparaging remarks about the outcome of the election in public.

“In fact, their lawyers, who are learned silks, have continued to make unsavoury comments to the media about the outcome of the election which they are challenging..

Ikechukwu, who agreed that the 2023 presidential election was not perfect, claimed that “there is no concrete evidence to show that the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu rigged the election in favour of the APC.

“After a careful study of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, we are convinced that in declaring Bola Tinubu as President-elect at the National Collation Centre, Prof. Yakubu only performed his statutory role and did not break any known law.

“On the contrary, he would have broken the law with serious consequences if he had failed to make that declaration.”

Advising opposition parties, the Chairman noted, “All aggrieved parties must now sheath their swords, stop the ongoing verbal war on social media, and allow the Tribunal to conclude its assignment in peace.

“More importantly, Nigerian politicians should learn to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship in politics instead of crying foul each time an election result did not favour them.”