The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said it was inappropriate to solely assess its credibility or the conduct of the 2023 general election on the number of petitions filed by litigants.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, stated this while responding to a report in a national daily (not THISDAY), titled “INEC’s credibility sinks as 94% contested posts await tribunal.”
He said the commission would have ignored the report if it did not emanate from one of the country’s flagship newspapers, which had over the years established a reputation for the quality of its stories, incisive analysis, factual accuracy, balance and lately the innovative use of infographics.
Olumekun noted that while the commission wished to restate its continuing partnership with the media, it was prudent to state that the pen should be used to strengthen rather than impugn the integrity of public institutions, particularly where basic statistics demand that the media should be circumspect.
He further explained that the report under reference contained inaccurate figures, mix up of pre-election and post-election cases, skewed comparative perspective and a headline that suggests that election petitions draw from the action or inaction of INEC.
The National Commissioner stressed that a basic fact check on the information regularly published by the Commission and available on its website would have shown that in 2023, elections were not conducted in 1,280 constituencies, including 782 State Assembly seats.
Olumekun added that on the contrary, elections were conducted in 1,491 constituencies across the country made up of one Presidential, 28 Governorship, 109 Senatorial, 360 House of Representatives and 993 State Assembly constituencies.
He noted that the claim that state assembly elections were held in only 28 states of the country was made on the lazy assumption that no such elections were held in the eight states of the federation where executive elections were held off-cycle.
The National Commissioner stressed that every attentive Nigerian knew the tenure of legislators was tied to the legislative houses, which was a fixed term of four years from the date the assembly is inaugurated unlike the term of office of the executive which begins from the date they take the oath of office.
He wondered why the report blamed the pre-election cases arising from the conduct of primary elections by political parties on INEC.
Adedayo Akinwale
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