Presidency To Observers: Buhari Won 2019 Poll Fair And Clean

The presidency on Tuesday expressed reservation over the joint report of the the International Republic Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) on the 2019 General Election as it insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari won the 2019 presidential election square and fair.

Presidency spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu in a statement obtained by GWG nevertheless acknowledged the challenges of terrain and limitation in the number of observers as factors that could have hindered the observers in their duties.

He also defended the suspension of the erstwhile Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen as a matter that was laid more on the altar of justice than politics as was suggested.

“It is instructive that President Buhari clearly won this vote and the report in no way disputes that fundamental fact. President Buhari won by almost 4 million majority, with a 14% margin,” he said as he observed comparison between the results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and parallel voter tabulation done by YIAGA Africa.

Noting efforts directed towards improving the electoral system, he said “We have developed a tradition of improvements in our electoral process through enforcement of our electoral law which resulted in the prosecution and conviction of electoral officers that were found wanting in compromising our electoral process. 

“We, however, agree notwithstanding, that there are improvements that must be made in the process for the future. The sheer size, terrain and remoteness of certain regions do pose serious logistical challenges. 

“They also pose a problem for electoral observers: across a country of over 190 million, only 40 observers were deployed to observe just 16 states + the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria has 36 states). 

“It was unfortunate that the election was postponed yet imagine if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had gone ahead unprepared. The delay undoubtedly resulted in a lower turnout. 

“Because they are registered to vote in their place of birth, and not where they live, many Nigerians could not make arrangements to travel back again. 

“But the fact still remains that major democracies of the world have equally recorded worst turnout in modern history. 

“The effect of voter turnout, at any rate, is a two-way traffic that affected both sides equally.”

“To pretend otherwise is wrong considering that in 2015, the INEC postponed the election by six weeks under a PDP President, whom – as an incumbent – it was said to help at the time. It didn’t make a difference. Similarly, neither did it aid the sitting President in 2019.

On the suspension of Onnoghen as chief justice, he said:

“It is amazing that the electoral observers recommended that electoral laws are enforced, and perpetrators of crimes punished and at the same time implicitly criticise the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria for failing to disclose his assets as required by law. Which would they prefer? 

“The law is a matter of principle that takes its course regardless of time and circumstances. It is never a matter of convenience and indeed remains functional, operational and enforceable without due regard to the electioneering process. 

“As we have already said, we are committed to reviewing our electoral laws and processes, like every democracy across the world should, ” he stressed.

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