From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Hon Charles Idahosa, has disagreed with the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, on his description of the 2023 elections as worst in Nigeria’s history.
Onaiyekan had a few days ago reportedly said that there have been previous instances of flawed elections but that the flaws in the last elections were unparalleled.
But reacting to Onaiyekan’s position yesterday, Idahosa said the 2023 elections remained one of the best in the country with the kind of upsets it created and new colouration in the National Assembly where not less than eight political parties won seats in the two chambers.
He alleged that Cardinal’s claim was deliberately sponsored by the opposition, particularly the Labour Party, ahead of the ruling on the election by the Presidential Election Tribunal, saying the opposition parties were likely going to lose their election petitions.
“It is very disappointing for a man who holds such a position in Christendom, whose voice a lot of people will take very seriously to talk like that. It is an embarrassment to Christians.
“The president, Tinubu, has been sworn in and the court is sitting. Look at the timing that Onaiyekan spoke, when we are waiting for the judgment of the court? They must have shopped for this kind of statement at this critical time. I have been in politics for over 40 years so those of us who participated are the ones that would say whether this is not a fair election.
“What he said is very shocking because he doesn’t know anything about the elections, this is one of the best elections in this country ever. I am not in APC, I am a PDP chieftain and you know what we went through, you know. An election where Tinubu lost Lagos, somebody would come out to say that, if anybody is going to rig elections, will he not rig his place? An election where Buhari lost Katsina, 10 sitting governors lost senate seats, that means their states were divided into three and they couldn’t win and somebody would come and say this is the worst election.
“The moment the Cardinal threw his hat into the ring, he is now like any of us, he has taken sides, he should not have spoken at all. This is an election where eight political parties are represented in the National Assembly,” Idahosa stated.