Tribunal: If INEC Had Conducted Transparent Polls, There Won't Be Unnecessary Tension' – Akeregha

As Nigerians eagerly await the judgment from the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal regarding cases filed by opposition candidates challenging the outcome of the recent election, veteran journalist and public affairs commentator, Igho Akeregha, has criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for causing unnecessary tension and anxiety among the country’s citizens through its handling of the elections.

During an interview in a video (1:05:19) on Africa Independent Television’s ‘Kaakaki’ program on Wednesday, September 6, Akeregha, a member of the Nigerian Guild Of Editors, argued that if INEC had conducted the presidential election transparently and credibly, opposition candidates might not have needed to seek redress in court. This, in turn, would have spared Nigerians from the anxiety surrounding the tribunal’s outcome.

He stated, “The current tension we’re experiencing stems from INEC’s failure to fulfill its duty as it should have. If INEC had conducted the elections transparently and credibly, with results that faced minimal challenges, we might not find ourselves in this situation today, and the country wouldn’t be gripped by this unnecessary tension.

It seems like every election cycle, every four years, we end up in the same scenario, having to resort to the courts to determine the country’s President or governors. To me, this is entirely unnecessary.”

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