The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, has admitted that the presidential and National Assembly elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on 25 February were not perfect.
Mr Adamu made this known in his speech on Monday during a meeting between the leadership of the APC National Working Committee, the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, and members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the party.
The closed-door meeting was held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Abuja.
Mr Adamu noted that despite the challenges, the ruling party won the presidential election “clean and clear.”
Speaking on the lapses, Mr Adamu said that even though the elections were not perfect, he noted that a perfect election may be an impossible target.
“I very heartily congratulate all the distinguished men and women elect. I salute you all. You are the new team Nigeria. From May 29 this year, the burden of our national unity, peace, and development will rest on your shoulders as a team.
“It is fair and honourable to admit that the February 25 elections were not perfect. We did not set out to conduct perfect elections.
“World history has no instances of perfect elections. Like all other democratic nations, we set out to conduct free, fair, and credible elections. This we did.
“I am proud to say we achieved this feat and delivered on the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the people. For the first time in living memory in respect of our elections, there were no allegations of vote-buying and outcry over all the other ills associated with the conduct of our elections. Rigging may not be dead, but it has been decapitated. Our democracy is maturing, and we are maturing with it.
“From the results of February 25, 2023 general elections announced so far by the electoral umpire, INEC, the APC won the presidency, clean and clear, and a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.
“We chose not to rout the other political parties because they are our partners in our national progress and development,” he stated.
Some opposition and their candidates have rejected the outcome of the election, particularly the presidential election, which INEC declared Mr Tinubu as winner on 1 March.
The candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, have vowed to challenge the outcome of the election at the tribunal.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyers