Abdulsalami’s committee reveals they were pressured to call for the cancellation of the 2023 presidential election.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who heads the National Peace Committee (NPC), disclosed that they encountered immense pressure to persuade the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop tallying results or nullify the 2023 Presidential Election outcome that favored President Bola Tinubu.
According to the NPC, the interpretation of the 25% threshold for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in election results was revealed as one of the most disputed matters.
On Friday, the National Peace Committee NPC presented a 106-page report titled “Nigeria’s Pursuit of Electoral Compliance: 2023 General Elections Report” in Abuja. The committee emphasized that it had received numerous demands and appeals from different groups during and after the election process.
The report states that the committee received numerous requests for intervention, with some calling on the NPC to urge INEC to halt collation due to alleged violations of the Electoral Act. Additional arguments were made insisting that political parties fail in upholding principles outlined within Peace Accord and thus necessitating annulment of elections.
The NPC received numerous appeals for intervention as the election day progressed, according to the report. General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and Fr. Atta Barkindo were inundated with entreaties and appeals seeking action from the NPC, it added.
Many inquiries focused on the interpretation of FCT’s 25% vote mandate. Various stakeholders and analysts asserted that as the president-elect did not meet this criterion, any announcement concerning election results should be withheld, with preference given to organizing a runoff instead.
Read Also: Senator Accuses Obasanjo of Introducing Corruption to National Assembly Through Allowances
After the election, several bodies including The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy criticized the NPC’s lack of response despite receiving numerous petitions regarding potential implications resulting from it.
These critics noted that before the election, NPC had been engaging political leaders to ensure a credible and peaceful process; however, they failed to issue any formal statement after its conclusion addressing its results.
The report explained that the primary responsibility of NPC is ethical in nature, with a focus on promoting peaceful behavior, averting violent acts and upholding legal principles.
It stressed that although the committee lacks constitutional power to intervene in elections or impose sanctions, its goal is to mediate and promote peace by exercising moral influence.
After the election, the NPC has kept up its involvement with different parties such as security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders to preserve harmony and consistency.
Nonetheless, it was revealed that there is insufficient awareness amongst the public about what duties are carried out by the NPC which therefore casts doubts over how successful their actions have been in addressing issues.
The NPC reaffirmed its dedication towards promoting peace and tackling the difficulties presented by prevalent skepticism of the electoral system.
It acknowledged, however, that it operates within certain confines in Nigeria’s electoral domain.
