The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has expressed its concerns about the outcome of the 2023 general elections.
The forum stated that it is closely monitoring developments regarding the election’s outcome and will respond at the appropriate time.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that the Northern Elders Forum‘s spokesperson, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated these in an interview with The Punch.
Baba-Ahmed stated that the forum remained silent on all election-related issues because it believes it owes the nation a responsible response at this stage.
According to the NEF spokesman, INEC had serious problems with the presidential election and should conduct an investigation and allow for a thorough examination of the process.
He said:
Like all responsible Nigerians, the Northern Elders Forum is watching developments very closely. We have our worries and concerns. If you have noticed, we kept silent over all the issues from the elections because we believe what we owe the nation at this stage is to be responsible in terms of what we say.
The many occasions that we said we had confidence in INEC, its leadership, and processes were informed by what we saw as genuine improvement in technology, processes, and its willingness to take on major challenges in the electoral process.
But we have no regret over that; at the time we made those statements, it was clear to us that INEC had recorded major improvements and the Electoral Act had addressed a number of key issues. I don’t think INEC itself will tell you that it is entirely satisfied with its performance in both elections.
I think if INEC is fair to itself and to the nation, it will own up to the fact that it had serious problems with the presidential election and commit to examining it and allow a thorough interrogation of that process.
I know some will be addressed in court but INEC needs to admit to Nigerians that it had problems particularly at those critical hours when it failed to show Nigerians what it promised.
I think we should recognise that INEC is an institution that naturally attracts a huge expectation from Nigerians, and it must deliver as much as it promises.
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