Falana scores INEC low on 2023 elections, says performance disappointing

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has faulted the poor conduct of last Saturday’s elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Unverified reports of electoral rigging have been making the rounds on different social media platforms leading to demand for cancellation of results announcement.

There were also reports of violence as well as wanton intimidation of voters in different parts of the country especially in Lagos.

Falana, who spoke in an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, insisted the electoral commission had performed below par.

The legal expert alleged compromise on the part of security agencies, state governors as well as INEC officials.

While urging the electoral commission to go back to the drawing board, Falana advocated strict prosecution of electoral offenders across the country.

READ ALSO:Falana rejects deployment of soldiers for election duties

He said: “I’ve not been impressed by the very disappointing outing on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Nigerians’ had been assured they were going to have a credible election – a peaceful election – whereby votes would count. Regrettably, there was a free rein of thuggery; thugs took over in many places.

“There was a compromise on the part of the security forces. There was a compromise on the part of some INEC chiefs. There was impunity on the part of some governors.

“I do hope we will be able to draw sufficient lessons from the exercise. As our courts would say, there is substantial compliance with the Electoral Act because you could isolate where you had pockets of illegality, pockets of violence.

“I expect INEC to go back to the drawing board, review the management of the election, the role of the ad-hoc staff and ensure those arrested by the police and security agencies over election disruption, rigging and prevention of people from voting are charged before appropriate courts as soon as possible. This is to serve as lessons to those to manage elections subsequently.”

By Ambali Abdulkabeer

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