Obi’s Vice Presidential Candidate, Baba-Ahmed: INEC Conducted A Fraudulent Election In 2023

The Labour Party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, alleged last night that the Independent National Electoral Commission had rigged the 2023 presidential election in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He made the allegation yesterday during his appearance on Channels Television’s programme – Politics Today, which examined the state of the nation, with particular emphasis on security, economy, and the 2027 political landscape.and 2027 politics.

According to him, INEC conducted a fraudulent election and also fraudulently announced results of the poll.

Baba-Ahmed stated that the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential poll by INEC was not consistent with the constitution. He explained that the constitution stipulates that a winner must have 25 per cent in two-thirds of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Tinubu, he said, did not garner 25 per cent of the total vote cast in the FCT during the presidential poll.

Baba-Ahmed noted that though the court has power to say that the opposition is not right, and that Tinubu should have been declared winner, “we are right by saying he never met the constitutional requirements to be declared winner.”

He said as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, the country needs a credible INEC Chairman that would organise and conduct elections that would produce credible leaders.

Baba-Ahmed stated that Nigeria should have an electoral system that would not only produce leaders that are truly elected by the people, but also protect fundamental human rights. He stated that the beginning of prosperity and peace is good leadership.

When asked if he is a part of the coalition movement that has adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where the likes of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, are making sway, he said he is still in LP.

He recalled that he was a running mate to a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, during the 2023 presidential poll. He added that though there is crisis in LP at the moment, the issue is not beyond remedy, and he would love to run with Obi in 2027 on the LP platform.He stated that as big as President Tinubu looks in the political arena of the country, he could be defeated during the 2027 presidential poll, if the opposition gets their acts together.

He also threw a jab at ADC when he said the coalition movement was deceiving Nigerians. He added that he was not convinced yet to join ADC. According to him, if he wants to join the coalition, he would ask the right questions, and he must be provided with the right answers.

Baba-Ahmed, who noted that development does not exist in letters, but has to be built, said: “When you have leaders that remove personal and political interest from government, then we’ll have good leaders.”

On the divisions across various socio-political and religious lines, he suggested that mending the divided fibre needs education, enlightenment, and professionalism. Nigeria, he said, needs a high level of civic awareness.