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The youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), yesterday, said that decisions arising from both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal on the 2023 general elections have vindicated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The group said that the Appeal Court also validated the election of most of the National and state Assembly members, with only a few going for a rerun.
A statement by the National President of OYC, Okwu Nnabuike, said that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, had proven doubting Thomases wrong.
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He noted that many had expected a mass sack of governors and lawmakers, but that was not to be.
Okwu said: “All the judgements delivered so far are clear indications that INEC, to a very large extent, conducted a credible election across the country.
“We are not saying that the exercise was completely flawless, but one must take into consideration the fact that no country conducts an election that is 100 per cent error free.
“However, from what has happened so far, the Mahmood-led INEC has been vindicated.
“We want to commend him for a job well done; he, no doubt, conducted one of the best elections in the country. That no governor was removed is a testament to the credible process he spearheaded.”
Nnabuike added that with the election over, it was now time for Nigerians to pursue major reforms in the Electoral Act that would block all loopholes in the existing laws.
He said: “What we witnessed in the litigation process is that some of the sections of the Electoral Act have flaws. This should not, in any way, be blamed on INEC.
“So, it is incumbent on all stakeholders to identify these lapses and push for a further amendment of relevant sections of the Act.”
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