Mr. Kayode Oladele, a former member of the House of Representatives and international lawyer, has criticized the European Election Observation Mission’s (EU EOM) report on Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. He denounced the report as biased, partisan, and poorly timed. Oladele, in a statement released on Friday, expressed his belief that the report was predetermined and lacked credible evidence to support its claim that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was the primary instigator of election irregularities. He accused the EU of disregarding the need for a fair and objective assessment of the elections.
Furthermore, Oladele found the timing of the report suspicious, suggesting that the EU may be attempting to influence the final decision of the Presidential Tribunal. He emphasized the importance of election monitoring in Nigeria’s electoral system but stressed that the principle of popular sovereignty, also known as the principle of self-government or self-determination, grants Nigerians the right to choose their leaders through universal suffrage. He argued that the EU report undermined the concept of universal suffrage and violated the rights of Nigerians to freely elect their leaders and shape their future.
Oladele pointed out that various legal authorities, including the Nigerian Constitution (1999) as amended, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, protect Nigerians’ inalienable rights to universal suffrage. He stated that the EU Mission’s report on the 2023 Nigerian elections disregarded the spirit of these international conventions and violated legal principles, such as the prohibition of disruption of a judicial process. He referenced Section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which ensures that the courts are not influenced by extraneous considerations.
In simpler terms, Oladele explained that this principle allows the courts to decide cases independently, free from political pressure or public opinion. He stressed the significance of this principle in upholding the rule of law, delivering impartial justice, and maintaining the integrity and independence of the judiciary. Oladele criticized the EU’s actions and expressed concern over Mr. Peter Obi using the same report as evidence in his case, as it undermines democracy and interferes with the rule of law. He also mentioned allegations that the EU and certain foreign donors secretly funded Peter Obi’s campaign through civil society organizations.
In his words: “These principles have clearly been violated as seen from the actions of the EU and the tendering of the same Report by Mr. Peter Obi as evidence in support of his case, is one that calls for serious concern as it has the unsalutary effects of undermining our democracy and tinkering with the rule of law,” he said. He further added that the report appears to give some credence to allegations in certain quarters that the EU and some foreign donors secretly funded Peter Obi’s campaign through some civil society organisations.”
Lastly, Oladele questioned the credibility and reliability of the EU’s report, considering its limited staff of around 100 observers stationed primarily in Lagos and Abuja, tasked with monitoring over 170,000 polling units across the country. He argued that relying on open sources, which he deemed highly unreliable, defective, tainted, and corrupt, would compromise the report’s credibility. The EU Mission’s final report concluded that the 2023 elections fell short of international standards and highlighted serious irregularities in the voting process, with the APC singled out as the main culprit.
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Source: Sahara Reporters paper
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