Obasanjo says 2023 elections fail integrity test, calls for cancellation

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the cancellation of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in all violent-prone areas, saying they failed integrity test. 

Obasanjo made the call on Monday in a statement titled, “2023 Nigeria Presidential Election: An Appeal For Caution and Rectification.”

He asked the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to save Nigeria from the looming danger and disaster waiting to happen.

The former president said it was no secret that INEC officials at the operational level have been compromised following the manual transmission of results which he alleged had been manipulated and doctored.

Obasanjo told President Muhammadu Buhari that “tension is building up and please let all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test be cancelled and be brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, and BVAS and Server officials be changed.”

The former president’s statement came barely few hours after party agents staged a walkout on the INEC Chairman at the National Collation Centre for the 2023 Election at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

READ: BREAKING – 2023 Election: Obi beats Tinubu in Lagos

The party agents were protesting the modality for the presentation of the results from across the federation, alleging compromise on the part of INEC and its officials.

Obasanjo had openly endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, as his preferred candidate for the February 25 election, in a new year message titled “My appeal to all Nigerians particularly Young Nigerians.”

The former president noted that none of the presidential candidates is a saint, but when compared on the knowledge, discipline, and what they can offer, Obi had an edge.

“None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a mentee has an edge,” he had said.