Controversy has always trailed major elections in Nigeria over claims of electoral irregularities by those who lost in the contest....CONTINUE READING
This was the case in two states that held stand alone elections where the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, lost. Yet, amid the controversy and claims of electoral irregularities that trailed the outcome, President Muhammadu Buhari was among the prominent leaders that congratulated the winners. Apart from congratulating the winners, Buhari hailed the electoral umpire and promised to work with the winners of the election. The two states will be discussed below.
1. Anambra State: This stand alone election held on November 6, 2021. Ahead of the election, Buhari pledged not to interfere in the process. The President assured of adequate security and promised that the election would be free, fair, peaceful and credible. At the end of it all, Prof. Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, won the epic contest.
Soludo defeated Chief Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Andy Uba of APC and over 14 other candidates in that election. After his victory, President Buhari congratulated Soludo, hailed the election and promised to work with the winner. However, Uba and the APC rejected the outcome and went to court to challenge it. It is left to be seen if they would win the case or lose to Soludo again.
(2). Edo State: This stand alone election took place earlier. It was epic and keenly contested between Governor Godwin Obaseki of PDP and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of APC who was heavily backed by former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
President Buhari vowed not to interfere but to allow Edo people to choose who they want. Interestingly, a day to the election, the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu openly called on Edo people to vote for APC and vote out Obaseki. However, APC camp could not sack Obaseki as he went on to defeat Ize-Iyamu in many LGAs in Edo State.
While Ize-Iyamu and APC in Edo kicked against the outcome, President Buhari defied all odds to congratulate Obaseki and hail the election. He promised to work with him and ever since, he has received Obaseki about two times at the Presidential Villa Abuja in line with his promise. All moves to sack Obaseki through the court failed.
Come to think of it, these two instances have shown that Buhari backed free and fair elections despite the fact that his party and its candidate lost at the end. Yet, the President accepted the outcome. Buhari has assured that the 2023 general elections will be free and fair. Many Nigerians are looking up to him to keep to his word especially with regard to the presidential election.
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