A civil society organization, Citizens for Democratic Reforms (CDF) has dismissed Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent call for the sack of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Former President Obasanjo has come under serious criticism from civil society organizations over his recent call, with many CSOs citing his democratic credentials.
In a statement, CDF national cordinator, Adamu Suleiman, alleged that Obasanjo’s criticisms of INEC suggest a deeper agenda with partisan interests.
Suleiman noted that Former President Obasanjo’s criticism of the INEC leadership is part of a broader resistance to reforms that have been introduced by successive INEC leadership that reduce the control of elites over electoral outcomes.
“The democratization of Nigeria’s elections has transferred power from political kingmakers to the people. This shift has alarmed those accustomed to manipulating the system,” the statement noted.
Suleiman stated that “Nigerians remember Obasanjo’s era which represents the darkest chapter in Nigeria’s electoral history, marked by a lack of transparency, manipulation, and disregard for democratic principles. The 2007 election conducted by Obasanjo was so bad that even the winner Yar’adua was ashamed of the outcome.”
While acknowledging that elections in Nigeria are far from perfect, the group noted that the country has made tremendous improvements in the general conduct of election, compared to the era of Obasanjo.
The group added that leaders like President Obasanjo has not moral justification to demand for sack of INEC chairman, citing his democratic credentials.
The statement reads further, “former President is the father of do-or-die politics, he made the infamous blasphemous statement that even Jesus Christ can’t conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria is now singing a different tune.
“Under his administration, state governors were removed from office at will. The man who moved tons of cash to bribe lawmakers to subvert the Constitution for his third term project, “impeached” sitting Governors by a tiny minority of members of their state assemblies, encouraged his boys to arrest a sitting Governor (Ngige of Anambra State) and on and so forth cannot now be talking about State capture and credible elections. He practically wrote results of elections in the southwest for the PDP, except Lagos, because of the strength of Bola Tinubu.”
The group further argued that Obasanjo’s selective focus on INEC was problematic, as it diverted attention from systemic flaws in Nigeria’s electoral framework, particularly at the state level. The group pointed to widespread irregularities and lack of transparency in local government elections, which are overseen by SIECs, as a more pressing issue.
“Why is there no outrage from him over the shenanigans that pass for local government elections? His silence on these matters raises serious questions about his intentions,” the statement added