The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and
Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, described the poll as unique “in terms
of keeping to the timetable, new 80 clauses in the Electoral Act, and
introduction of new technologies which made voting easier.”
Olumekun stated, “In keeping with our tradition over the
last four electoral cycles, and our commitment to transparency, we are pleased
to announce the release of the official INEC report on the 2023 general
election.
“The report showcases the election’s unparalleled diversity
in party representation, demonstrating significant democratic progress. This
election saw four political parties winning governorship races, seven parties
winning senatorial seats, eight in federal constituencies and nine in state
legislatures, illustrating a broad shift in political representation across
Nigeria.”
He further stated that the 2023 general elections were
“perhaps the best planned and most innovative election in Nigeria”.
“The election witnessed the highest number of eligible
voters and voting locations across the country with the participation of over
one million election duty officials and the deployment of enormous logistic
requirements including over 100,000 vehicles and about 4,000 boats protected by
gunboats,” the report added.
Meanwhile, political parties have criticised the 2023
general elections report released by the INEC.
The chief spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential
Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, blamed INEC for covering its “illegality,”
adding that the release of the report was medicine after death.
Tanko said, “This is medicine after death. INEC should have
made this particular clarification at the time of the election and promised to
make amends and pick up from where they stopped.
“However, what is
happening is that INEC is trying to cover its tracks after the judiciary had
one way or the other legalised their illegality.
“Let me explain better. If INEC says that this is what they
are going to do and later on goes to the court to say that they have the right
to do manual collation then the court justifies that particular action, it is
unacceptable. It is a conspiracy.”
In the same vein, the presidential candidate and former
chairman, of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yabagi Sani, urged INEC to deal
with the culprit involved in the glitches it encountered during the elections.
“Whoever was responsible for the glitches should be dealt
with in a manner that should serve as a deterrent for the future because
accountability is key.
“INEC should be commended for coming out clean. They should
be given a pass mark. We will keep improving in our electoral process. We can
now point out exactly what happened,” Sani noted.
The spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Debo
Ologunagba, when contacted said the party needed to critically look at the
report before making its decisions known.
But the Publicity Director of the All Progressives Congress,
Bala Ibrahim, said, “Nigerians should salute INEC for being honest and sincere
by admitting errors or failures on its side. Whatever we do, we should admit
that we are humans and we are not infallible.
“Everything that is technologically based or IT-based is
liable to some failures. Even in established democracies where they have
perfect infrastructures on IT, they still have glitches here and there.”
