2023 Election: Again INEC Chairman gets fresh call to resign as youth group head to United Nations

Youths under the aegis of the Free Nigeria Movement have reiterated its calls for the arrest of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Mahmood Yakubu over the conduct of the 2023 general election.

The group made the call on Thursday, April 20, at the United Nation office in Abuja to mark the 30th day of its ongoing protest of the polls which was attended by Legit.ng.

Speaking shortly after submitting its resolution to the UN, the convener of the group, Moses Paul-Ogidi, insisted that the outcome of the February 25 and March 18 general elections did not meet the expectations of many Nigerians.

Paul-Ogidi said this has led to the call for the annulment of the 2023 general elections by Nigerians across several quarters.

According to Ogidi, the process that threw up the APC candidate as the winner was flawed and should be nullified.

His words: “In the last 29 days, we have made a consistent call for the cancellation of the presidential election risking our lives amidst threats of attack by political thugs and violent merchants some of whom have since camped at the Unity Fountain.

"We have made presentations to the governments of the United States, Britain, and country representatives of the United Nations, European Union and ECOWAS Commission."

Paul-Ogidi noted that press conferences and national prayers have been held by the group while the youth have also maintained a non-violent stance in their bid to seek redress for our demands. Making their demands known to the UN, Paul-Ogidi called for the immediate sack, arrest and prosecution of the INEC chairman, a cancellation of the presidential election, compensation of all victims of electoral violence and an establishment of a truth and reconciliation committee in Lagos and other flashpoints of violence.

He added: “Our resolve is built on truth, faith and hope and on the risky, if not suicidal conviction, that illegality will always birth illegality.

“Nigerians must see in the last election and even at this moment, an opportunity that is fast burning out.

"We cannot deny that the enthusiasm and dedication of Nigerians to participate in the 2023 general elections, and the political tsunami that followed, such as the sack of incumbent governors and parliamentarians, was a threat to the life of the old political order."

INEC has denied the allegations that some of its officials visited the government house of Adamawa state before the supplementary election.

Festus Okoye, the spokesperson of the commission, dismissed the allegation, saying nothing of that ever happened.

Okoye said if such had happened, the officers would have acted against the oath of office they swore to uphold.