…By Roland Peterson for TDPel Media.
INEC Urged to Apologize for Presidential Election Failure
Dele Farotimi, a former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue an apology to the Nigerian people for its shortcomings during the presidential election on February 25th.
INEC’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye, had attributed the failure of the Bimodal Voter Registration Systems (BVAS) to transmit real-time election results to the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to a “technical glitch.”
Okoye defended INEC by stating that the IReV portal functioned correctly during the National Assembly, Governorship, and State Assembly polls.
INEC’s Integrity Called into Question
During an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, Farotimi expressed his belief that everything worked as intended during the election, except for INEC itself.
He argued that the evidence clearly demonstrated that INEC was the only component that failed to fulfill its duties.
Farotimi stated, “The integrity of INEC as an institution went on exile.”
Apology Expected from INEC
Farotimi, an ally of Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who came third in the election, criticized INEC for not offering an apology to Nigerians for its failure to deliver on its promise of electronically transmitting election results.
He emphasized that INEC, being a public body governed by law, had advertised its guidelines, including BVAS and IReV, and had reassured the Nigerian people about the system’s capabilities.
In Farotimi’s view, individuals like Festus Okoye should either resign or provide a detailed explanation to the public regarding what truly transpired.
He questioned the notion of a “glitch,” asking whether it referred to a malfunction in the human brain, a technical system issue, or a glitch caused by a complete disregard for moral conscience.
The demand for an apology highlights the disappointment and frustration felt by many Nigerians regarding the perceived shortcomings and lack of transparency in the electoral process, further emphasizing the need for accountability and trust in the country’s electoral institutions.