₦airaland Forum

The African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observation Missions deployed to the Nigerian general elections have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on credible conclusions of the electoral process.

Former president, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, leader of the AU delegation and former president, Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone, leader of the ECOWAS delegation, made the call during a preliminary briefing on the elections on in Abuja, yesterday.

They also urged Nigerians to remain calm until announcement of the final result from INEC and cautioned against disinformation and fake news, especially on social media platforms that would incite post-election violence.

Responding to questions from journalists, Koroma said the AU and EU Observation Missions was urging INEC to improve on its communication to avoid any form of speculations, disinformation and fake news.

Koroma said they urged INEC to stick to its tenet of credibility and integrity to ensure that the peaceful process it already started comes to a peaceful conclusion.

The leader of ECOWAS delegation said beyond Observation Mission, they were in Nigeria alongside the AU Mission on a diplomatic engagement to ensure a peaceful transition.

“All we can do at this stage as we have done in the preliminary report is urge INEC to, where possible, improve on communication with the public and members of political parties.

“Improve on the counting and collation methods and review the uploading, because these were all systems that INEC promised to rule out without any difficulties.

“And as observers, we cannot make conclusive statements but will continue to urge INEC because there is a lot of anxiety out there, people are anxiously waiting.

“And the more we delay, the more we give room to speculations, misinformation and disinformation. So we are concerned about this.

“We will continue our engagements with INEC and other stakeholders to ensure that what has started as a relatively peaceful process will continue and end up in a manner that is acceptable to every one of us, including the Nigerian populace,” Koroma said.

Koroma said the ECOWAS and AU Observation Missions was strongly appealing to Nigerians against post-election violence, adding that the outcomes of the process would be a strong statement for the sub-region and Africa’s democracy.

“We appeal to Nigerians to remain peaceful and calm, listen to the official sources of dissemination of result and do not listen to the general social media platforms. They are disinformation and can cause problems.

“That is why as the AU and ECOWAS, beyond observation, we have now been transformed to a preventive diplomacy engagement.

“And we will continue to engage the stakeholders, INEC, political parties until the whole process is concluded and there is a peaceful transition to a new leadership.

“We urge Nigerians to complete a process started in an encouraging manner,” Koroma said.

Also responding to questions, Kenyatta said they have tried to be as transparent as possible in reporting what they have seen, adding that the process s not over until declarations are made.

He also urged the electoral umpire to rectify whatever challenges it is encountering so that the process can be brought to a credible and peaceful conclusion.

“The only thing I can do is join President Koroma in appealing to INEC to recognise the mood and see what the situation is to speed up the process and ensure that process of accountability and credibility that they have maintained so far.

[b]“To continue to maintain it to the end so that true will of the good people of Nigeria shall be expressed in the leaders that they elect.

“We have no reason whatsoever to doubt the integrity of INEC. For us, it is to continue to appeal that those glitches they are having be rectified. The sooner the process is brought to a transparent conclusion, the better[/b].

“And the only appeal we will have over and above that is to all stakeholders, political parties, the candidates to have the patience to await the final authority entrusted to do that.

“To abide by the peace accord that we all witnessed signed and whatever the outcome to follow legal and constitutional means to air whatever grievances that they may have.

“And for those who are indeed in concluding this process, to continue to abide by sworn duty to ensure that Nigerians are able to have a free and fair election that shall express true will of the people of Nigeria,” Kenyatta said.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, thanked the AU and ECOWAS Observation Mission who came on the invitation of the ECOWAS Commissions for delivering on their mandate.

He also thanked the media for the good coverage of the elections, especially at a time where fake news have dominated the media space.

Touray said “ECOWAS will indeed follow results closely and continue to reach out to all stakeholders within the framework of our preventive diplomacy”.

FarahAideed:
Useless Idiots, after enabling a Tinubu victory you are here saying nonsense..

We warned you Tinubus only path to Victory was the Obidients but y'all refused to heed ... Labour party never had a single path to Victory , the only reason you were even on the ballot was to act as a ladder for Tinubu... Without LP Tinubu could have never ever won this ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g24aMZWWRDs

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, described as “utter rubbish” an audio clip circulating on social media wherein it was alleged that he alongside his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, revealed plans to scuttle the forthcoming election.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said the clip confirmed that the ruling party would take their propaganda to new heights a few hours to balloting.

The statement read in part, “We warned last week that as the election approaches there will be a spike in the rate of propaganda on social media. With barely 24 hours to the poll, we have witnessed propaganda from not just the All Progressives Congress but the Labour Party as well.

“In this latest drive, a montage of speeches delivered by Atiku, Tambuwal, and Okowa since last year were manipulated and pieced together to give an impression that they were discussing plans to rig Saturday’s election. In this age of artificial intelligence technology, even dead people can be portrayed as delivering speeches. This is nothing new!

“For the record, Atiku has run in two presidential elections and has never been indicted or prosecuted for election violence or vote buying.

“But some people think they can sell a narrative of Atiku manipulating this election. This is indeed the height of desperation, the last kick of a dying horse. The APC and the Labour Party must note that elections are not won on social media but at the polling units.”

Justifying why Nigerians should disregard the audio conversation, Atiku added, “It is unfortunate that those seeking power will engage in outdated defeatist tactics. How can Tambuwal be referring to Atiku by his full name in a one-on-one private conversation? This is nonsensical, similar to the type of meaningless chatter about President Muhammadu Buhari being dead and replaced by one Jubril from Sudan.”

He called on PDP supporters nationwide not to get involved in similar propaganda but back the party in its bid to rescue the nation and her citizens, starting from Saturday’s presidential election.

“When they descend to the level of baseless propaganda, we will rise above it with dignity and respond with our Permanent Voter Cards. This election is a watershed in Nigerian history. Nigerians must not lose sight of what is most important, which is the need to rebuild this broken system, revitalize the economy, and improve security and the hope of the people in a united Nigeria,” he added.

The PDP presidential candidate called on the police and other security agencies as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission to rise above the board by playing their part to ensure free, fair and credible polls.

He further charged security agencies to go after those behind the audio clip and bring them to book in compliance with Section 123(c) of the Electoral Act 2022.

tinsel:
https://saharareporters.com/2023/01/31/labour-party-campaign-director-other-members-dump-peter-obi-atiku-bauchi-say-they-dont