2023 POLLS: Face your opponents, stop blackmailing INEC, group tells aggrieved candidates

Labour Party’s Peter Obi and Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar, and other aggrieved candidates, who are currently challenging the outcome of 2023 general elections, have been advised by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CSJET), to stop blackmailing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The group issued the warning in a statement released by its executive secretary, Isaac Ikpa, in Abuja on Sunday.

INEC declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the keenly contested poll had raised concerns from opponents and Nigerians alike who slammed the commission for glaring electoral infractions.

However, the centre insisted the exercise was free, fair and credible, urging disgruntled candidates to concentrate on seeking redress from court rather than slamming the electoral commission.

READ ALSO:2023 POLLS: ‘Obi weaponized religion, ethnicity’, Nnamani insists in latest attack

Ikpa added INEC deserved commendation for noticeable improvements in the electoral process and its outcomes.

“CSJET commends INEC’s chairman for his display of courage in ensuring the credibility of the electoral process in spite of some challenges. Our position is hinged on the fact that we gathered reports from observers across the country on the electoral process”, Ikpa said.

“The majority of the outcome was positive, indicating that the elections were free, fair, and credible. This much was admitted by some international observer missions that rated the 2023 general elections as credible and arguably one of Nigeria’s most keenly contested elections.

“The centre commends Prof Yakubu particularly on the technological innovations that were introduced in spite of efforts by saboteurs to discredit the electoral process.”

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