Washington Review Meeting : Nigeria Disapora Communities Commend Prof. Yakubu for Fair Elections

 Washington Review Meeting : Nigeria Disapora Communities Commend Prof. Yakubu for Fair Elections 

After a review of the conduct of 2023 general elections, Nigerian Diaspora Communities in Europe and America  resolved to commend the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu for conducting relatively fair and credible elections.

The Disapora communities ,which abinitio disagreed over the outcome of results of the general elections, met in Washington recently to review the elections ,which some had  declared as "Fraudulent and unacceptable." 

But after the recent Washington meeting , the members of Diaspora communities agreed that the 2023 general elections  was though controversial , it was far better than previous elections held in the country by INEC. 

Briefing journalists shortly after the review  meeting held in Washington  ,United States, the National Coordinator of Nigerian Diaspora in Europe and America,Mr Collins Abraham Douglas, said the aim of meeting  was basically to assess  conduct of the 2023  elections under leadership of Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and take necessary action .

According to him , part of actions intended to take was   to push for  sanctions  and embark on worldwide campaign against Prof. Yakubu, who it believed rigged the elections in favour of ruling party All Progressives Congress. 

He however said,the perception changed after some members;observations and stakeholders who spoke during the meeting cleared the air over misconception and erroneous impressions about the result announced in favour of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) .

He said , it natural for its  members to disagree over the outcome because of the controversy surrounding the outcome of the Presidential elections, especially the failure to transmit results electronically as promised by INEC earlier .

But after the verdicts of the  Election Tribunal and Supreme  Court, and  reports of International Observers , it unanimously agreed to score the elections as  fair, but with a reservation that INEC must be more transparent with result announcement procedures. Noting, " If results were transmitted electronically, the outcome would have been more transparent and acceptable". 

He further said, " The fact that opposition parties won some key state like Lagos , Kano, Plateau, Kaduna and other states during  the presidential elections was enough to measure levels of fairness.

He also said members later agreed with the outcome when the Supreme Court affirmed the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC as the valid winners of the general elections.  

"The Supreme Court has already affirmed the Presidential election was credible and Tinubu deserved the victory"

He therefore advised INEC  to ensure  that its system works better during the next bye