ABUJA — The opposition Labour Party, LP, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, expressed shock over how the United States 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices arrived at its conclusion that the 2023 polls reflected the will of Nigerians, despite widespread irregularities.


However, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Presidency hailed the report but said the party did not need external validation of its victories at the polls.


The report published by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, US Department of State, highlighted human rights practices and violations in different countries, including Nigeria.

It said the last general elections in Nigeria reflected the will of the populace, despite widespread irregularities.

Picking holes in the conclusion, LP and PDP said they are committed to deepening democracy in Nigeria and averting a one-party state.

Highlights of report
The report stated that supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, suppressed votes in Igbo-dominated areas during the March 2023 governorship election in Lagos.

“National elections were widely reported to have reflected the will of voters, despite technical and logistical difficulties, and some irregularities.

“Many independent observers who assessed the results of the presidential, legislative, and state-level elections during the year reflected the will of voters despite reports of voter suppression and vote-buying, campaigning at polling stations, lack of ballot secrecy, violence, and intimidation.

“During the March 18 state election in Lagos, All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters reportedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated areas, which Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, won in the February 25 national election.

“Viral videos on social media showed APC supporters in Ojo (LGA in Lagos) threatening to attack ethnic Igbo voters presumed to be pro-Obi.


“In Eti-Osa, APC supporters also attacked journalists and, in some cases, shut down voting and prevented non-Yoruba voters from accessing polls. They similarly destroyed property and physically blocked voters in Amuwo-Odofin.
“According to videos posted on social media, police officers were present but failed to respond to attacks,’’ the report read.


It said there was no evidence that individuals who perpetrated violence in Lagos during the election were arrested or prosecuted.

Corruption in govt

The report also stated that the Nigerian government has not “consistently” implemented anti-corruption laws.
It said there was “widespread” corruption across the country, including the judiciary.

“In August, President Tinubu appointed former Governor Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget, despite Bagudu’s widely reported history of helping then-President Sani Abacha steal hundreds of millions of dollars from the government in the 1990s,’’ the report stated.

We remain committed to democracy — PDP, LP
However, the two main opposition political parties, the PDP and the LP, in reaction to the report, restated their commitment to the development of democracy in Nigeria, despite its shortcomings.


National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, in a telephone chat with Vanguard said: “I am yet to read the report but one thing we, as a party, can assure Nigerians is that we remain committed to the advancement of democracy in our country.
“We are also committed to ensuring that our country does not become a one-party state or slide into dictatorship.”

Speaking in a similar vein, his counterpart in the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, said: “With all said and done, we take solace in the fact that the report was fair enough to admit that there were irregularities, including but not limited to vote buying, ballot box snatching, intimidation and physical attacks on our party supporters, especially in Lagos.

“The report was magnanimous enough to note that supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, suppressed votes in areas dominated by our supporters during the March 2023 governorship election in Lagos.

“To say the outcome of such an election reflects the majority view of Nigerians is left for the people to judge. Our commitment to the development of democracy in Nigeria remains unshakable.”

Report is welcome devt, but… —APC
On its part, the ruling APC said while it welcomed the report, it does not need any external validation in that regard.
Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the party, Nze Chidi Duru, told Vanguard that the party had since moved on, concentrating on developing Nigeria’s electoral democracy.


He said: “It (report) is a welcome development but I want to restate that we do not need any external validation on the outcome of the 2023 general election.

‘’That election, as far as the party is concerned and as far as the people of Nigeria are concerned, is now behind us and we are looking forward to the 2027 general election.

“All the infrastructure of government at all levels, whether it is at the federal, state, local government or ward level, are already in place. Our councillors, National Assembly members and governors have been elected and are in place.
‘’Where there are issues arising from that election, those elections have been contested at the courts and we know that the courts have heard and given their well-considered ruling. So, we have gone beyond that.

“We also believe improvement, development and change are constant things and then as a government, we will continue to encourage and fund INEC in a way that empowers them to be able to further improve the electoral process in Nigeria.
“As we continue to march on the path of democracy, we hope to continue to conduct elections that would reflect the will of Nigerians.

“So, in a nutshell, as much as this is welcome, we do not need any external validation. Elections have been conducted and those elected have assumed offices and where there are disputes, they were taken to courts and the issues have been resolved.”


We don’t require any foreign validation to make our election free, fair — Presidency

Speaking in like manner, the Presidency through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said INEC “conducted a free and fair election.’’

He noted that there is nowhere in the world the electoral umpire conducted a 100 per cent error-free election.
His words: “INEC conducted a free and fair election. We don’t need any foreign country to validate or make our election free and fair.

“The report doesn’t require any validation. As far as we are concerned, it was a free and fair election. We (the All Progressives Congress) won the election.”

The presidential aide also debunked the allegation of voter suppression in Lagos State.

tuzeriouz:
It said the last general elections in Nigeria reflected the will of the populace, despite widespread irregularities

tuzeriouz:
It said the last general elections in Nigeria reflected the will of the populace, despite widespread irregularities

I is very unfortunate that the US Department is assuming the role of sponsored political groups. However, the opinion of the Bureau doesn't represent what Nigerians knew already

Namaster:
are STUPID and easy to manipulate. The last election was a reflection of that.

emkz:
Hmm.

One thing you must accept is that some people have grace, and you cannot take it away from them.

What if Tinubu carries grace?

Dino Melaye threatened to violate his wife; today, Dino has been trying to revive his political career after he was booted out of the senate.

Elisha Abbo was one of those who talked down on his wife and also opposed Tinubu/Shettima ticket. Abbo was booted out of the senate.

Abdullahi Adamu was opposed to him, and he is today without a job.

Kofoworola Buknor-Akerele fought him and got kicked out of politics.

Godwin Emefiele attempted to fight him, but today, he is a pitiable sight to behold.

Obaseki attempted to humiliate him; today, he is having difficulties governing Edo State because he is fighting everybody.

One of Osinbajo's aides, Babafemi Ojudu, talked down on this man, and today, the man is licking his wounds.

The man demystified Obasanjo. The man demystified Ayo Adebanjo. The man demystified messianic political tendencies. The man even openly opposed some of Buhari's policies. He is still standing.

Pastors and latter-day christian political pontiffs opposed him. One by one, their prophesies came to doom and they were put to shame. Those are people who claimed to be God's mouthpieces.

At the height of PDP rigging machinery, he was the last man standing. In an opposition and outside politics, he helped his party win back the states they lost and through alliance, crippled the PDP into a toothless opposition. Since that time, PDP has consistently handed presidential ticket to a serial loser as if they have no presidential materials.

While those who fought him ended in political poverty and went into oblivion, those who respected him and honoured him rose to the heights of their pursuits and did well!

Despite all the things said against this man, despite death some of you wished upon him, he is still standing strong. At first try, he won the coveted seat. Does this not tell you something? Those of you opposing him and making fun of him, are your lives better by so doing?

Tinubu had no business becoming president after the dismal performance of former president Buhari on security, economy and anti-corruption. But greed, immaturity and tactlessness made Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso hand him the presidency. Is that not grace?

You can criticize him and his policies constructively; but mocking him? The man may be carrying grace that some of you cannot fathom. Let me sound like a low-budget pastor: mocking a man with grace can only bring disgrace. If you look at the Holy Books, God's instruments were not picked from the popular, the high and mighty or the expected, but the picked were made popular, high and mighty because the anointing was Grace.

I don't know if Tinubu has been anointed. But looking at how people conspired against him to eventually help him win, it speaks of a mysterious power that set confusion in the camp of the opposition. If na juju, that juju strong gan.

Some may argue that he rigged elections. You don't agree that he rigged elections in Lagos, Abuja, Osun, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, but you claim he rigged to win. Where exactly did he rig election and how?

emkz:
Still on grace. Some leaders became Nigerian leaders with minimum effort.

In the 60s, the leader of the opposition preferred to be a regional head and sent someone else to be prime minister.

After northern elements ousted Aguiyi-Ironsi, they picked a young Berom christian who was not even a General to be Head of State. The guy who took over from him did not stay long, but the new leader was in hiding when he was brought to take the seat. In 1979, an unknown teacher won the election over heavy hitters.

Let us skip to 1993. Since 1966, one name was prominent in coup circles. He received the best training but messed up when he got the seat. Then in 1999, someone on death row was brought out of jail and made president. After him, a taciturn, politically tactless fellow was made president with a quiet unknown deputy. Within 3 years, the quiet deputy took the seat. In 2015, a man previously hated for alleged religious bigotry won the seat. After him, someone who was mocked, insulted, and cursed by those who hated him won the seat.

To balance the conversation, it is the same seat many worked, lived for, died for and died in. Someone even won the election and all strings were pulled to prevent him from taking the seat. Another person has been contesting it years before many nairalanders creating silly topics were born.

One thing is clear: there is a powerful force guiding who leads Nigeria. In some cases, the lowly, the rejected, the hated, the weak are picked. Yet we mock.

Has our mockery changed anything?

My advise to everyone: Be there for people. Help as much as you can. Fight for others. Stand for the things you believe in. Stay true to your convictions.

Such is life.

Afamed:
Children of frustration over to Una.

It's pure common sense.

You didn't win any of the states in either NE or NW.

You only won 6 Senate seats out of 109

Yet you go around looking for your stolen mandate

No description fits them better than Gbajue

Eweduses:
I think US is supporting "Tinupoo de mandate criminal".

swagana:
US dey mad with their double speak. After saying Igbo voters was not allowed to vote in Lagos they still said election was credible. How huncle Sam how?