The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have criticized the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, following his commendation of Ghana’s presidential election and his advice to Nigerian politicians on lessons to learn.
In the recent Ghanaian election, ex-President John Mahama of the opposition party defeated Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, the candidate of the ruling party. Yakubu, in a video, praised the peaceful conduct of the election, describing it as a model for Nigeria.
Reacting to his comments, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, criticized Yakubu for his handling of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, which was won by President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Labour Party accused Yakubu of manipulating the process and called for him to apologize to Nigerians.
Obiora said, “It is a shame that the INEC Chairman should be talking when, in this case, he should be the one to learn from Ghana. He was the architect of exactly what Nigerians are suffering today. He owes Nigerians an apology. We didn’t hear of electoral violence, snatching of boxes or any glitches whatsoever (in Ghana). The people spoke through their votes. Their votes counted and the Ghanaians are happy with it.”
Similarly, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, described Yakubu’s trip to Ghana to monitor the election as inappropriate and criticized his role in Nigeria’s 2023 elections.
He said, “Apologising to Nigerians now will be a little belated, but let it be on record that he apologised and resigned honourably. If I were to be him, I would apologise to Nigerians and resign. Let him borrow a leaf from people of integrity. And when the issues of credibility are being discussed, he should keep quiet and listen.
“Yakubu even had an opinion on the electoral process. I hope he had not taught them the process of rigging elections. The truth is this, he cannot be approbating and reprobating at the same time. You are saying Ghana took lectures from Nigeria on how to declare elections and the voting units and all of that. Can he, in all sincerity, attest to what happened in Edo and Ondo?
“Can he also put his hand on his chest to say he is at peace with his conscience regarding how he handled the last 2023 presidential elections? For everything unfair and everything inconsistent, the man is a working example. And I think that when credible processes are being discussed, people like Yakubu should not be invited to such gatherings.”
Both the Labour Party and PDP reiterated their stance that the 2023 presidential election was not free or fair, maintaining their allegations of electoral irregularities.
