The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, held a meeting on Tuesday with key political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and Labour Party (LP), to review the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
In the past two weeks, INEC has been engaging with critical stakeholders involved in the conduct of the 2023 general elections in the country. The meeting also focused on the preparations for the off-season governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states, scheduled for November 11, 2023.
During the meeting at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Prof. Yakubu emphasized the importance of engaging with stakeholders to ensure credible elections in the country in the future. This was the first public meeting held by the electoral body with leaders of political parties. Key representatives from the APC, PDP, and other parties, including the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yabagi Sani, were in attendance.
It is worth noting that the outcome of the presidential election is still being challenged in court by PDP flagbearer Atiku Abubakar and LP candidate Peter Obi. They are contesting the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the awaited judgment from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) is awaited.
Addressing the challenges faced during the 2023 general elections, INEC Chairman Prof. Yakubu mentioned the difficulties posed by thugs deployed by politicians, logistics management issues due to cash and fuel shortages, and the perennial insecurity nationwide. The behavior of some INEC officials in the field was also highlighted as a contributing factor to the difficulties faced during the elections.
Overall, the meeting with political parties aimed to assess the recent elections, discuss possible improvements, and prepare for future electoral processes in Nigeria.
