From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has rejected the ongoing presentation of the 2023 presidential election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the ones declared so far were not the true reflection of the people’s will.
Vice President of the body, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, in a statement on Tuesday, said that Ohanaeze was shocked that despite the outcry by Nigerians across the country that results being declared were doctored, the electoral body still went on to declare them as being authentic.
Ohanaeze said that it was grossly disappointed in INEC and demanded that the results presentation should be stopped immediately until the real and authentic results were produced and uploaded on INEC’s website for the world to see.
This is coming about 24 hours after the former President of the country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, placed similar demands. Obasanjo also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to do the needful before INEC sets the country on fire.
Ohanaeze, while asking for the release of the authentic results that came from the polling units across the country, called for the arrest of the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for his roles in the shoddy polls.
It urged the electoral body to respect the will of the people and ensure that the mandate of the people was not subverted in any way in order to justify the confidence reposed in it by the citizens of the country.
Okeke-Ogene lamented that INEC raised the hope of Nigerians during preparations ahead of the elections but regretted that it’s not meeting the expectations of the people.
He pointed out that late arrival of electoral materials in many centres and the delay in the announcement of the results have created room for suspicions.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo Vice President lamented that the Chairman of the commission built the entire exercise on a very faulty foundation in spite of the huge resources made available to him for the polls.
Chief Okeke Ogene said the INEC Chairman should be arrested and made to account for the N300 billion approved for the elections, stressing that the commission was trying to plunge the country into anarchy.
He commended Nigerians especially the youths for their patience and sense of maturity as well as some political parties including the LP and the PDP for their courage in pulling out from the illegality.
He also extolled former President Obasanjo and the regional leaders for standing firm for the truth and urged President Buhari to call INEC to order.