The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned election observer groups urging them to refrain from undermining the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and second-guessing the results of the recent Edo State gubernatorial election. The statement, signed by the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Tuesday, criticized the observer group for overstepping its boundaries and attempting to cast doubt on the election results without substantial evidence.
In the aftermath of the Edo gubernatorial election, YIAGA Africa, a civil society organization accredited by INEC, released a report suggesting that the results might have been manipulated. The APC swiftly condemned this, accusing YIAGA of using speculative methods to challenge INEC’s declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the election.
“YIAGA Africa, in its jostle for headline attention, is overreaching its observer mission by second-guessing INEC on the election result,” Morka said. He emphasized that INEC is the sole statutory authority empowered to conduct elections and declare results in Nigeria, and that election observers have no mandate to serve as an alternative election management body.
Morka went further to criticize YIAGA Africa’s report as a “travesty,” calling it flawed in both methodology and substance. “Alleging that results were manipulated without hard facts and figures but based on some statistical guesswork is a clear disservice to the electoral process. YIAGA Africa’s report is replete with methodological flaws, politicized observations, and inaccuracies, which call its credibility into question,” he added.
The APC warned that any attempts by observer groups to usurp INEC’s authority would constitute a violation of both the Electoral Act and the Nigerian Constitution. While it acknowledged that election observer groups are at liberty to provide feedback on the electoral process, Morka reiterated that declaring or casting doubt on INEC’s official results falls outside their purview. “Election observer missions are not election management agencies and cannot usurp INEC’s statutory authority as the sole election management body in Nigeria,” he said.
Morka argued that YIAGA Africa’s actions could give the false impression of a parallel election process, thereby eroding public confidence in the system. “Declaring or second-guessing the Edo state gubernatorial result based on unsubstantiated, unverified, highly questionable statistical parameters designed by Yiaga Africa is designed to create unnecessary confusion,” he stated.
The APC further urged YIAGA Africa to refrain from tarnishing its reputation and avoid aligning itself with what it described as “the season’s annals of infamy,” referencing Governor Godwin Obaseki’s alleged invasion of INEC’s offices during the election and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s supposed illegal declaration of election results in a different context.
In defending the election outcome, Morka praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for ensuring a level playing field during the polls, commending INEC for its professionalism and the security agencies for their diligent work in maintaining order. He added that the victory of Senator Monday Okpebholo in Edo was a clear rejection of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s leadership and an endorsement of Tinubu’s visionary policies, which, according to the APC, have transformed Nigeria’s economy and strengthened national security.
“The election’s outcome is an unequivocal rejection of the Obaseki administration’s bad governance and an endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies, which have promoted good governance and economic growth,” Morka stated.
Looking ahead, the APC urged any dissatisfied parties to follow proper legal channels if they wish to contest the election results. “Any disputes, contestations, or questions about the election may now be submitted to the courts for adjudication in line with electoral and constitutional norms and recourse mechanisms,” the statement concluded.
