Tinubu’s Rejects EU Mission’s Report on 2023 Presidential Elections, Calls for Objectivity in Assessments.
In a statement on Sunday, Dele Alake, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, vehemently rejected the report of the European Union (EU) election observation mission regarding the 2023 presidential elections. According to NEWS WEEK NIGERIA, the Federal Government has dismissed the final report presented by the EU mission in Abuja.
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Barry Andrews, the EU Chief Observer, had based the report on the analysis of Nigeria’s adherence to regional and international commitments for democratic elections. The observation team highlighted enduring systemic weaknesses that required rectification, based on their assessment of the elections.
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However, Dele Alake voiced strong objections to the EU’s purported efforts to discredit the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their conduct of the elections. He rejected the report’s findings and criticized the EU mission for their alleged attempt to undermine INEC’s credibility.
Alake strongly emphasized that the presidential election, which saw the victory of President Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. He went on to describe the EU mission’s report as a shoddy desk job, lacking credibility.
“In May, we issued a press statement alerting the nation to the plan of a continental multi-lateral institution to discredit the 2023 general elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Alake stated.
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Although he did not explicitly name the organization in the statement, he made it clear to Nigerians that this foreign institution had persistently attacked the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, questioned the country’s sovereignty, and cast doubts on the nation’s ability to organize itself effectively.
“We find it utterly absurd and unjustifiable that in this modern era, any foreign organization, regardless of its nature, continues to insist on its own arbitrary standards and assessments as the sole criteria for determining the credibility and transparency of our elections.
“Now that the organization has submitted what it claims to be its final report on the elections, we want to categorically inform Nigerians and the world at large that we were well aware of the European Union’s maneuvers to perpetuate its largely baseless biases and claims regarding the election outcomes.
“To reiterate, the 2023 general elections, particularly the presidential election won by President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, were credible, peaceful, free, fair, and the best-organized general elections in Nigeria since 1999.
“The European Union or any other foreign or local organization has failed to present substantial evidence capable of challenging the integrity of the 2023 election outcomes,” stated Alake.
The presidential aide criticized the EU’s limited scope of assessment, pointing out that their observers monitored the elections with only 11 analysts stationed in Abuja and 40 observers spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Alake questioned the credibility of the EU’s conclusions, given their limited coverage of the vast number of polling units, which amounted to over 176,000 across Nigeria.
He also expressed doubts about the EU’s independence and suggested that their report relied more on rumors, uninformed social media commentaries, and opposition talking points. Alake argued that the EU’s final report appeared to maintain the same biased stance as their preliminary report released in March, casting doubts on its objectivity.
He staunchly refuted any insinuation or claim suggesting that the 2023 elections were fraudulent, emphasizing that numerous non-partisan foreign and local observers, including the African Union, ECOWAS, Commonwealth Observer Mission, and the Nigerian Bar Association, had validated the credibility and transparency of the elections.
Alake highlighted the comprehensive report by the Nigerian Bar Association, which deployed over 1,000 observers throughout the country. “According to their assessment, 91.8% of Nigerians rated the conduct of the national and state elections as credible and satisfactory,” he said.
He commended INEC for defending the integrity of the election and acknowledged the electoral body’s commitment to embracing ideas, innovations, and reforms aimed at further enhancing the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.
With the elections now concluded, Alake stated that Tinubu is fully focused on the challenging task of nation-building. Despite ongoing legal challenges, Nigerians have expressed satisfaction with President Tinubu’s resolute leadership and his efforts to steer the country towards fiscal sustainability and socio-economic reforms within just one month in office.
He called upon the EU and other foreign interests to approach their assessments of Nigeria’s internal affairs with objectivity and allow the country to progress without undue interference.
“As a nation, we have moved past the elections. President Tinubu is dedicated to the arduous task of nation-building, while those with grievances continue to pursue legal recourse. In just one month in office, Nigerians appear to be content with President Tinubu’s decisive leadership and the manner in which he is redirecting the country towards fiscal sustainability and socio-economic reforms.
“We urge the EU and other foreign interests to exhibit objectivity in their assessments of our country’s internal affairs and allow Nigeria to forge ahead,” he concluded.
