Taofeek Lawal
Nigeria In Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Africa has described the February 25, 2023, presidential election organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as not free and fair.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday in Abuja, the Chairman of NIDO Africa, Dr Kinsman Chikelu, said the election did not meet the standard expected by NIDO.
He said as promised by INEC, the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) was not used for the transmission of the results to the electoral body’s server. He called on INEC to upload results that reflect the voting pattern of Nigerians.
He however called on the judiciary as the last hope of the common man to do the needful on the election and not to disappoint Nigerians on the cases arising from the elections.
He said despite several briefings by INEC with the promise of its readiness for the elections, the polls fell short of expectations and were contrary to what the electoral body promised especially the uploading of the results of INEC’s server.
“As our structural management states, we individually chose the state to serve. Some decided to go to Delta State, some went to Edo. Some went to the South East. Some were in the North, Sokoto, Plateau and so on. So we were all on the field on the day of the election. We as NIDO in line with the communiqué issued a few days after the election on the stand of the NIDO worldwide, are here to reinforce our stand by saying categorically that the presidential candidate as we witnessed a few days ago as organised by INEC was not free and fair to the standard that we expected.
“On invitations, we had several briefings by INEC. I want to say that most of us left our different jobs and activities and our families in the Diaspora to respect this noble cause in Nigeria as we observed this election are not here to joke. The various briefings we received from INEC were all about how they are organised and ready. But on the day of the election, all of us here witnessed the drama that was contrary to what the briefing was before the day of the election, especially the issue of uploading the results of the presidential votes. I and I witnessed that the BVAS was not transmitting the results to the server from the polling units.
“On behalf of NIDO worldwide as we are reinforcing our stand that this election is not free and fair, we are using this opportunity to call on INEC to upload the results that reflect the voting of Nigerians.
“As this matter is already in the court, we have to state it clearly that as civilized Nigeria living in the diaspora, we have trust in our judicial system. We are using this opportunity to extend our demand again for the second time to the judiciary that they should not disappoint us and the entire Nigerians. They should save the law the way it is. As it stands we all know that that is the last hope of the common man,” the NIDO chairman stated.
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