Baba-Ahmed revives criticism of 2023 poll, faults INEC over results declaration

By Lateef Ibrahim

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has renewed his criticism of the conduct of the 2023 presidential election, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) of acting improperly by announcing the outcome of the poll in the early hours of the morning.
Speaking during an interview with Symfoni TV, monitored in Abuja, Baba-Ahmed argued that the timing of the declaration undermined public confidence in the electoral process.
The former vice-presidential candidate questioned why the election results were announced at about 4 a.m., despite expectations that the process would be concluded later in the day.
According to him, the circumstances surrounding the announcement remain one of the major concerns he has continued to raise regarding the 2023 election.
“I keep saying, and sometimes I wonder, we Nigerians, why do we just take everything to pass? How can an INEC chairman promise African leaders, including Nelson Mandela’s younger brother, Thabo Mbeki, that he would announce election result by 9am but sneaked and did the announcement by 4am?” he said.
Baba-Ahmed further alleged that announcing election results at such an hour was inconsistent with acceptable democratic standards and questioned the credibility of the process.
The former Labour Party chieftain also extended his criticism to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, maintaining that the government emerged from an electoral process he considers flawed.
“And how can you shamelessly be leading a government that was announced at 4am? Who works at 4am? Criminals! The INEC that announces a result at 4am is a criminal INEC,” he stated.
The comments are the latest in a series of criticisms by Baba-Ahmed and other opposition figures regarding the conduct and outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
The presidential election was won by Tinubu, whose victory was subsequently upheld by the election tribunal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria following legal challenges by opposition parties and candidates.