From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Northern Awareness Network (NAN) has taken a firm stance against former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent critiques of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, highlighting the hypocrisy embedded within Obasanjo’s assertions.
NAN, in a statement issued by its Chairman Salihu Suleiman, said, “It is indeed shameless for Obasanjo, who admitted during his period of electoral malfeasance that even Jesus Christ cannot conduct credible elections in Nigeria, to now accuse the government of failing in this regard.
Obasanjo’s track record on electoral integrity is questionable, to say the least.
“During his time in office, there were numerous reports of irregularities, violence, and rigging in elections.
He has admitted to manipulating elections to ensure victory for his preferred candidates. In light of this, it is difficult to take his criticisms of the current government seriously.
“It is important to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and decisions. However, it is hypocritical for someone like Obasanjo, who has presided over flawed elections in the past, to now point fingers at others.
“ If he truly cared about the integrity of the electoral process, he should reflect on his past actions and work towards ensuring free and fair elections for all Nigerians”.
NAN averred that for a leader who once presided over a system riddled with corruption, whose presidency was characterized by electoral malpractice, to now stand as a self-proclaimed arbiter of electoral integrity raises pertinent questions about the moral authority he wields in critiquing contemporary governance.
