Ohaneze Ndigbo Rejects Outcome of Presidential Election, Announces Plans to Challenge Result in Court

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has rejected the results of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election, declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On Wednesday, March 1, INEC declared Bola Tinubu as the winner of the election. In a statement released, the National Vice President of the organization, Damian Okeke-Ogene, said the results released were marred by “monumental irregularities” and the failure of the commission to adhere to its guidelines in conducting the election. He urged Nigerians to remain calm, adding that the last might not have been heard of the 2023 presidential election. Okeke-Ogene noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared Tinubu as the next president before the election was conducted, which was an indication that the election was rigged. He also criticized INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for promising Nigerians that their votes would count and that the votes would be transmitted from the polling units to INEC server, only for the commission to do everything manually with the attendant corrupt practices. As a result, many Nigerians voted but their votes did not count.