Toba Owojaiye reporting
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly defended its handling of the 2023 general elections amidst questions about the credibility of the process.
According to INEC, the high number of dismissed and withdrawn petitions is indicative of the legitimacy of the elections.
Out of the 1,196 petitions filed following the 2023 polls, a total of 712 have been dismissed, and 179 were voluntarily withdrawn. This means that in 74.4% of the total petitions, the election tribunals found no merit and upheld the results declared by INEC.
Mr. Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner & Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee at INEC, explained that these petitions encompassed contests in 1,491 constituencies nationwide, including 1 Presidential, 28 Governorship, 109 Senatorial, 360 House of Representatives, and 993 State Assembly constituencies.
Olumekun emphasized that INEC cannot be held accountable for pre-election disputes within political parties, stating that they involve party members seeking remedies that bind the Commission. INEC, he noted, does not conduct political party primaries.
Furthermore, he clarified that Section 134 of the Electoral Act, 2022, defines the grounds for challenging election outcomes, which go beyond the election conduct itself. Petitions may address issues like candidate eligibility, qualifications, or nomination by political parties, areas where INEC lacks the authority to screen or disqualify candidates; only the courts possess that power.
In essence, INEC asserts that the substantial number of dismissed and withdrawn petitions is a testament to the integrity of the 2023 elections and the crucial role of the democratic process.
To put these figures in perspective, in the last five general elections in Nigeria from 1999 to 2019, a total of 3,959 petitions were filed by candidates and political parties challenging election outcomes. In the 2019 general elections alone, 766 petitions were filed, contributing to this cumulative total.
However, INEC has criticized the analysis of the 2023 elections based solely on the number of petitions filed in courts. They argue that multiple petitions were often filed by candidates and political parties in a single constituency, and many of these challenges didn’t concern INEC’s election conduct but focused on candidate eligibility or party nominations. Under Nigerian law, INEC does not have the authority to screen or disqualify candidates; only the courts possess that authority.
In conclusion, INEC maintains that the 74.4% rejection rate of petitions signifies the credibility of the 2023 elections, defending the democratic process in Nigeria.