Having watched and studied events unfolding in Nigeria from the pre-election environment to the conclusion of the February 25 general elections, to vote counting, collation and announcement of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has congratulated the newly elected President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reminding him that “Nigerian voters trusted him to lead them in the hope for a leadership that will make them more secure and provide their children with a productive future.”

The Coalition appreciated the sportsmanship exhibited by the candidates, especially the three major contending parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for showing leadership by gently calming frayed nerves of their followers and “opting for judicial resolution and not inciting violence.”

At a media briefing in Abuja by the CNG Spokesperson, Comrade Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the group called for the striping of former President Olusegun Obasanjo of all his national honours over his letter, which the Coalition considered inciting and dangerous.

The full text of the briefing reads:

STATEMENT ON THE JUST CONCLUDED GENERAL ELECTIONS

Abuja, March 1st 2023

Introduction

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has watched and studied events unfolding in Nigeria from the pre-election environment to the conclusion of the February 25 general elections, to vote counting, collation and announcement of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

CNG notes especially the significant roles played by key institutions and stakeholders including INEC, the police, political parties, the judiciary, civil society organisations, youth, media, domestic observers, other regional and international observer missions.

Notwithstanding that the 2023 elections took place amidst a Naira demonetisation policy and fuel scarcity, the exercise proceeded largely peacefully achieved through the determination, patience and resilience of all those who turned out to vote.

The elections proper were preceded by the commendable signing of the National Peace Accord on 22 February by all political parties, which was witnessed by Nigerian leaders and international observer teams.

On the eve of the election, seamless preparations for the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, as well as preparations by local security agencies from the opening to accreditation, voting, counting and collation of results were conducted.

Except for scattered reports of late arrival of officials and materials in some places, the commencement of the exercise was so flawless that most prominent Nigerian leaders including contestants to various offices acknowledged it as free, fair and simplified at the point of casting their votes.

Despite these reported delays in some places, polling staff generally conducted their duties transparently and diligently.

It is important to point out here that for the first time ever, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was introduced into the process and it functioned satisfactorily in most polling units.

This technological improvement came about with the enactment of a new Electoral Act in 2022, which gave the electoral commission more autonomy, legal backing for the use of electronic accreditation of voters and frameworks for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the elections, among other things.
But as is usual with technology everywhere, flaws were detected in some places in the operation of the BVAS as it was seen to be faster with facial recognition than with detecting fingerprints during accreditation.

Typical of all democratic electoral processes, towards the end of the exercise, the usual disputes over credibility set in with some candidates and political parties raising concerns of irregularities and calling for the immediate suspension and eventual cancelation of the already advanced process.

This dispute was kick started with the European Union observers claiming the exercise was not exactly fair; a claim which was contradicted by the Commonwealth observertion team which insisted that the elections were freely and fairly conducted.

In any case, the power to upturn or order the cancellation of elections as sought by the European Observers is invested in courts of competent jurisdiction jurisdiction and not in INEC.

At this point, a former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, interjected with a letter in support of the calls for the cancellation of polls. Ironically, same observations had been made by observer nations when Obasanjo presided over the 2003 and 2007 elections both of which he roundly rejected.

Resolutions

In the light of the above observations, CNG hereby resolves to:

1. Appreciate the sportsmanship by the candidates of especially the three major contending parties- PDP, LP and NNPP for showing leadership by gently calming frayed nerves and opting for judicial resolution and not inciting violence.
2. In this regard, we particularly recall the statesmanship, patriotism and love for country displayed by the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who contested and lost on three previous occasions but opted to seek legal redress and not call for bringandage as was the case in 2003 when then candidate Muhammadu Buhari lost control of his emotions by calling the public to mass action and declaring there would be no government in Nigeria by May 29. Same was repeated in 2011 which resulting in bloodbath and mayhem.
3. Commend the commitment, resilience and patriotic endurance shown by voters, who, despite the late arrival of election officials and materials at some polling units, technical issues with biometric identification machines in some cases, remained patiently and discharged their civil responsibilities.

We also appreciate the manner Nigerians resisted the temptation in the satanic letter of Obasanjo intended to incite them to violence and anarchy and instead chose to offer a verdict for peace and harmony.

4. Commend the vibrant participation by the youth in the elections as well as the significant role they played as INEC officials.
5. Commend the role played by the media in covering the elections and in the professional management of the minor post-election conflicts that arose.
6. Commend the professional role of the neutrality of the security agencies in maintaining law and order throughout the exercise by their prompt response to various situations.
7. Congratulate Nigeria for passing through this patently transparent election, the result of which, in the true spirit of democracy, is accepted by some, and disputed by others.
8. Specifically, we congratulate the newly elected President and to remind him that Nigerian voters trusted him to lead them in the hope for a leadership that will make them more secure and provide their children with a productive future.
9. We therefore urge him to be magnanimous in victory by carrying everybody along irrespective of tribe, religion, region or political affiliation and to operate an open all inclusive government.
10. We appreciate the incoming President’s humility, and maturity displayed in his acceptance speech.
11. We urge him to keep to his promise of being just to all sections of the country in terms of spread of federal projects and to be prudent in assembling the team that will assist him in the task of seeing Nigeria through and out of its current limitations around security and the economy; and of leading our nation into a future in which we will live secure lives and pursue livelihoods in a united, strong, prosperous Nigeria whose resources will be protected by leaders.
12. We appreciate the commitment expressed in his acceptance speech to robustly tackle youth unemployment, improve the condition of health, reposition our schooling system and most importantly improve the standard of living in the country.
13. To condemn with all our might the undue invention of Obasanjo that potentially incites public disorder and aim to set the country up in flames for the sake of his personal political interest in one candidate.

Obasanjo should not that he has long stripped himself of any claim to statesmanship and patriotism having turned into a potent agent of destabilization.

We hold that with this latest action, Obasanjo has finally bared himself of any remaining streak of integrity and the authorities should take steps to strip him of all national honours including the GCON.

13. We call on the judiciary as the last hope of all citizens, to be fair in dealing with electoral disputes that would come before them for adjudication.

CONCLUSION AND LESSON LEARNED

Firstly the voting pattern and outcome of the February elections have without a doubt, come with lessons to be learnt especially by the people of northern Nigeria.

One of the lessons is that while the North, in its usual accommodating spirit and democratic tolerance was able to play decent politics that allowed all candidates of the four major parties secure substantial and in some cases majority votes across northern Nigerian states, the situation was drastically different in particularly the South-east where votes were manipulated and confined solely for their son.

In this regard, and for the avoidance of doubt, the North has heard the message loud and clear and shall pay coin for coin in any elections that may come up now or in the future.

Finally, the CNG recommits to its principles of never to lower the bar where the interests of the North, the unity and security of Nigeria, or the welfare of all citizens are involved.

Thank you
Abdul-Azeez Suleiman
CNG Spokesperson