The Neo Africana Centre (NAC) and the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) have criticized President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their response to the European Union’s (EU) Election Observation Mission report. Both groups consider the presidency’s stance preposterous and an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians.
Ibrahim Zikirullahi, Executive Director of CHRICED, deemed Dele Alake’s rejection of the report as unwarranted. Alake, special adviser to President Tinubu, dismissed the report as a poorly conducted desk job based on rumors. Zikirullahi emphasized that the EU’s contributions to Nigeria’s democracy cannot be disregarded based on misguided statements from the presidency.
Jenkins Udu, Director of Public Affairs at NAC, questioned why the presidency involved itself in a report directed at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Udu advised against actions or reactions that imply a desire to pass judgment on their own case. He urged the presidency not to discredit the report, stating that it aligns with widespread concerns about the conduct of the 2023 elections.
Meanwhile, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar welcomed the report, claiming it vindicated his position that the elections were flawed. Former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, criticized the report as a one-sided narrative, suggesting bias on the part of the observers. Keyamo contested the EU’s claim that he shared fake news, emphasizing that the report exceeded the observers’ mandate.
Keyamo accused the EU observers of singling out the APC while ignoring false reports circulated by other political parties. He deemed the report disappointing and unfortunate, as it failed to consult all sides involved in the allegations before drawing conclusions. Keyamo argued that the observers’ labeling of a website as “suspicious” without sufficient evidence showcased their arrogance.
Overall, the groups and individuals involved expressed their discontent with the presidency’s rejection of the EU report and called for a more objective and comprehensive approach to addressing the flaws in Nigeria’s electoral process.