Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in which he expresses concern about the country’s recent presidential and National Assembly elections.
Obasanjo claimed in the letter that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had compromised its officials in order to manipulate the election process and revert to the manual transmission of results, rather than using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and Server for immediate transmission of results from polling units.
Obasanjo warned that such efforts might set fire to the country, causing immense danger and calamity. He urged the INEC Chairman to correct the mistakes of the previous two days, noting that any results modified or made inactive should be deemed unlawful and inadmissible for election declaration. He also advised that all elections that did not pass the credibility and transparency criteria be annulled and rescheduled for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, in places where polls were interrupted, and that BVAS and Server officials be replaced.
The former president urged President Buhari to guarantee that the elections were free, fair, transparent, and credible, and to avoid being viewed as complicit or compromising. For the sake of Nigeria’s stability and future, he asked the President to annul any elections tainted by irregularities and to guarantee that the wrong was righted.
Full text of his speech below:
Nigerian Brothers and Sisters, greetings to you all.
I am constrained to speak at this point.
I crave the indulgence of the President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, His Excellency General Muhammadu Buhari, to make this statement because I have had the opportunity to keep him aware of what I know is happening and the danger looming ahead.
On many occasions in the past, I have not hesitated to point out lacuna in the action of the President and his government. But as far as the election issues are concerned, the President has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he will want to leave a legacy of free, fair, transparent, and credible elections.
Until last Saturday night, February 25, 2023, the good and noble plan and preparation for the elections seemed to be going well. For the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a lot of money was spent to introduce Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and the Server for immediate transmission of results from polling units. It is no secret that INEC officials, at operational level, have been allegedly compromised to make what should have worked not to work and to revert to manual transmission of results which is manipulated and the results doctored. The Chairman of INEC may claim ignorance but he cannot fold his hands and do nothing when he knows that election process has been corrupted and most of the results that are brought outside BVAS and Server are not true reflection of the will of Nigerians who have made their individual choice. At this stage, we do not need wittingly or unwittingly to set this country on fire with the greed, irresponsibility and unpatriotic act of those who allegedly gave money to INEC officials for perversion and those who collected the blood money. Let me appeal to the Chairman of INEC, if his hands are clean, to save Nigeria from the looming danger and disaster which is just waiting to happen. If the Chairman can postpone elections four days to the election, he can do everything to rectify the errors of the last two days – no BVAS, no result to be acceptable; and no uploading through Server, no result to be acceptable.
Whereas BVAS and Servers have been manipulated or rendered inactive, such results must be declared void and inadmissible for election declaration. Chairman INEC, I have thought that you would use this wonderful opportunity to mend your reputation and character for posterity.
Your Excellency, President Buhari Muhammadu, tension is building up please let all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test be cancelled and be brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, and BVAS and Server officials be changed. To know which stations or polling units were manipulated, let a Committee of INEC staff and representatives of the four major political parties with the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association look into what must be done to have hitch-free elections next Saturday. Mr. President, may your plan and hope for leaving a legacy of free, fair, transparent, and credible election be realised. Mr. President, please don’t let anybody say to you that it does not matter or it is the problem of INEC. On no account should you be seen as part of the collusion or compromise. When the die is cast, it will be your problem as the Chief Executive of the nation. The Chairman of INEC may sneak out of the country or go back to his ivory tower. Your Excellency, thank you for hearing me out.
Compatriot Nigerians, please exercise patience until the wrong is righted. I strongly believe that nobody will toy with the future and fortune of Nigeria at this juncture.
Long live Nigeria in peace, security, stability, and in the hope for a greater future.
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO
February 27, 2023
