Hey there, young Nigerians! We’ve got some fantastic news for you. Zikoko Citizen is thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of our highly anticipated Citizen Election Report. Building off our 2023 general election coverage, we have much in stock for you.
With this report, get ready to dive into a captivating journey through Nigeria’s political history and gain a deeper understanding of our democratic process.
The Citizen Election Report is not your typical boring academic paper. We are making it immersive, engaging, and interactive.
Mark your calendars! The Citizen Election Report will be launched on Friday, June 16. We can’t wait for you to explore the captivating chapters that will guide you through Nigeria’s fourth republic elections and their potential for national change. We no dey disappoint.
Trust us to give you the best meats and serve you the best stews. We’ve been cooking this right for you.
Stay Tuned and Get Involved
The Citizen Election Report is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for more updates and sneak peeks leading up to the launch.
Remember, your voice matters, and your participation in Nigeria’s democratic process is crucial. Let’s come together, make a difference, and believe in the power of our democracy.
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Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate (APC), was announced the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential elections and Nigeria’s new president-elect on March 1, 2023, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, with 19 days left until the presidential inauguration on May 29, 2023, Tinubu still has many opps standing in the way of his dream to become Nigeria’s next president.
On March 21, 2023, four presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Solomon Okangbuan of Action Alliance (AA) and Chichi Ojei of Allied People’s Movement (APM) took the almighty legal steps. They filed petitions at the Presidential Elections Tribunal in Abuja, seeking to nullify INEC’s declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential elections.
The petitions claim that the elections should be voided for the following reasons:
At the time of the elections, Tinubu wasn’t qualified to contest, which would infer that he received “wasted votes”.
Tinubu failed to get 25% of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and engaged in corrupt practices which are in non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The Presidential Election Petitions Court, led by Justice Haruna Tsamanni, began proceedings on May 7, 2023, and the Action Alliance (AA) party withdrew its petitions against Tinubu’s victory.
While we’ll continue to observe the tribunal, ZikokoCitizen reached out to some lawyers and political analysts to hear their thoughts on the tribunal and predict possible outcomes. Here’s what they had to say:
“Our democracy is maturing.”
Titilope Anifowoshe is a legal practitioner passionate about charity and good governance; she’s also the founder of the Eagles Foundation for Humanity. And she’s happy that our politics is evolving into a multidimensional one not necessarily dominated by two political parties.
According to Titi, “I have mixed feelings about the tribunal because some of the petitions are issues that should have been brought before the court pre-election. I hope some of the trivial and technical issues will not stall justice. But regardless, I’m confident that the Supreme Court will do the needful. Let’s not forget that Lady Justice is blindfolded and a respecter of no one but the Law. I am really optimistic that justice will be done.
On how likely it is for the tribunal to nullify Tinubu’s win, I can’t assertively say that this will happen because the whole situation is dicey. If you look at some of the grounds of the petition from Peter Obi and the Labour Party against Tinubu, while the 1999 constitution in Section 137 makes it clear that being charged and fined is grounds for disqualification, the Law also speaks about a 10-year gap. We should also remember the maxim that says that a man cannot be punished twice for the same offence.
If we also look at the grounds of the double nomination of Kasim Shettima, while it contradicts the Electoral Act, Section 35 of the Act uses the word “knowingly”, and Shettima can claim ignorance in the situation. But in the same vein, when we look at Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act, we can see that INEC violates its rules. So, considering these factors, it’s difficult to state clearly if the election will be nullified. However, we should never forget that judicial decisions must be accepted as correct, and I trust the tribunal’s decision.
But regardless, the tribunal and judiciary are governed by legal precedents and established rules, and justice won’t be denied. Although the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines are obviously imperfect, we’re gradually getting there. We hope the panel will reflect the yearning of the majority of Nigerians and they will be fair and honest.”
“Electoral injustice takes away the dignity of human persons.”
Festus Ogun, also a legal practitioner, hopes that the tribunal’s decisions reflect the people’s wishes and aspirations.
He said, “While it’s unprofessional to preempt or predict the outcome of the court in cases such as this, I honestly believe that a lot of our people feel cheated and violated. I also believe that electoral injustice takes away from the dignity of human persons.
Given this, many young Nigerians yearn for true justice at the tribunal. But unfortunately, as we’ve experienced in the past, when matters get to the court like this, lawyers and litigants tend to focus on technicalities. But I am hopeful that this time, Nigerians will pay more attention to the substance of the case.”
“There is a political question mark on Tinubu’s mandate.”
Demola Olarenwaju is a Public Affairs analyst, political commentator and the Special Assistant in Digital Media and Strategy to Atiku Abubakar. He thinks that regardless of the tribunal’s outcome, he doesn’t expect it to lead to an explosive situation in the country.
“The courts have made it clear that they don’t want to spend time on unnecessary litigation and technicalities, but instead, the case will be decided on merit. We hope this will be adhered to and the Presidential Elections Petitions Court will be concluded shortly. The petitions from the different political parties are very interesting. Peter Obi comes from the angle of legalities, which questions the legitimacy of Tinubu and Shettim as candidates in the general elections. On the other hand, Atiku Abubakar is coming from the angle of what happened on election day, which is the non-adherence of INEC to the Electoral Law. Also, in Atiku’s petition, we see the margin of lead principle, which says that where the margin of lead between the declared winner and the runner-up is less than the number of cancelled votes, then the elections should be considered inconclusive and makeup elections should be conducted. So, from all this, it’s clearly a two-pronged attack.
On the likelihood of the court nullifying the election, given the history of Peter Obi and Atiku with electoral litigation, it could happen again in this case. Also, the advent of BVAS makes it easier to point out areas where over-voting or electoral malpractice occurred. Also, the fact that there were four major candidates in this election and Bola Tinubu could only get 30% of the votes shows that he isn’t the choice of most Nigerian voters. There’s a political question mark on his election mandate as declared by INEC that has to be resolved in court.
Everyone will move on if the elections are nullified, or supplementary polls are held. I don’t think it will be an explosive situation, and despite what the ruling party says, Nigeria will continue to be Nigeria, and heaven won’t fall. It’s clear that many Nigerians believe that the elections were compromised, and the tribunal should be firm in adjudicating the case. I also expect the tribunal and judiciary to open their doors to the media to show that there’s nothing to hide.
However, my prediction for the worst possible outcome of the presidential tribunal will be supplementary elections between Atiku and Tinubu or Atiku and Peter Obi if Tinubu is disqualified. But in any way it plays out, Atiku Abubakar will be involved in the second round of elections”.
Rest assured, Zikoko Citizen will continue to keep a close watch as the drama unfolds and keep you updated on the post-election drama!
On March 30, Nigerian rappers Folarin Falana (Falz) and Olanrewaju Ogunmefun (Vector) released a new hit single, “Yakubu”.
The song targeted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, over the alleged manipulation of the 2023 election results.
The song has been met with positive remarks on how the song reflects the poor credibility of Nigeria’s elections. Many Nigerians have also used the song to express their political feelings on the elections and Nigeria’s governance.
However, this isn’t the first time Nigerian musicians have spoken up for citizens using their creative skills for political activism.
Since the 1970s, musicians have called out the Nigerian government for its actions and inactions and requested better governance and accountability. Let’s list them out here:
1970s
Fela Kuti’s “Zombie”
Even though most songs in Fela’s discography are known to be widely anti-governmental, “Zombie” would always stand out as one of his most acclaimed songs.
Released in 1976, “Zombie” speaks on Nigerian soldiers and their trait of following orders from their superiors blindly and inhumanely. This later led to the military attack on the Kalakuta Republic, Fela’s creative commune, in 1977.
The attack on Kalakuta Republic [Yorubaness]
1980s
Majek Fashek’s “Prisoner of Conscience”
In the 1989 hit song, “Prisoner of Conscience”, reggae artist Majek Fashek speaks to the police brutality in his time and how they tend to cut short the lives of future leaders violently.
It is interesting to note that police brutality reared its ugly head again three decades later with the #EndSARS protests.
On this track, the Nigerian singer pleads for presidents, governors, senators, and even the police to lead well and perform their responsibilities with a conscience.
Timaya’s “Dem Mama” (2007)
In 1999, 900 civilians were killed in Odi, Bayelsa State, by the Nigerian Armed Forces in an attack known as the “Odi Massacre”.
A native of the ill-fated town, Timaya expressed his sadness about the tragic events and his concerns about Nigeria slipping into chaos from a fresh democracy in his song, “Dem Mama”.
Sound Sultan’s “Light Up” (2010)
Before 2010, a huge political expectation from the government was the implementation of Vision 2010.
Inaugurated by the then-military president Sani Abacha in 1996, the committee’s terms of reference were to “forge a plan which will ensure that Nigeria is en route by the year 2010, to becoming a developed nation in terms of economic prosperity, political stability and social harmony.” But their promises never came to fruition.
In this song, Sound Sultan, together with M.I, criticizes their lack of accountability on the project while calling attention to the corrupt practices and money-grabbing antics of Nigeria’s political class.
2018-2020
Falz’s “This is Nigeria” (2018)
Made as a freestyle to Childish Gambino’s “This is America”, “This is Nigeria” speaks to more modern problems on the rise of armed militia such as Boko Haram and fraud.
Burna Boy’s “20.10.20” (2020)
“20.10.20” is a sobering memoir of the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre on October 20, 2020. In this song, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, seeks to pay tribute to fallen comrades of the attack while reminding everyone who was to blame for the massacre – the Nigerian Army.
Why is it important for musicians to be involved in politics?
It can serve as a means of preserving important events in a country’s history
It acts as a catalyst for political awareness
It can spark conversations and change in governmental policies.
The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
This week’s Abroad Life subject is Adeoju Samuel Adesina, aka Sammy Desh, a Nigerian who relocated to Finland in his third year of university due to student union attacks on his life in 2010. Eleven years later, he returned to Nigeria in 2021 to vie for a legislative seat in the 2023 elections.
He shares with us the details of his exit from Nigeria, his experiences in Finland, and his political journey so far in Nigeria.
What sparked your motivation for politics?
I’d need to start from the beginning. I stumbled upon university politics at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). This was from 2007-2010. Someone running for the position of Chairman of my hall of residence had my name recommended to him as one who could galvanise people for campaigns. He then came to me and asked me to help mobilise people to vote for him as Chairman, which I accepted.
However, it was a surprise because I hadn’t been involved in elections before that time. Interestingly, I got people to vote for him galvanised people and won elections for four different candidates running for student union offices.
I was involved in several social justice causes around school, like fighting against tuition increments or releasing unjustly arrested students. I found fulfilment in this, especially when other students benefitted from it.
But this had downsides, such as attacks. One of these attacks made me leave the country for Finland.
Attacked?! How did that happen?
So it occurred during one of the student agitations in 2010 during my third year in university. A student burnt another student alleged to have stolen some money with a hot iron. While we tasked ourselves (i.e., me and some residence hall executives) to apprehend the student in question, he took refuge with a clique of guys called the DSM.
It was when we approached them to pick up the guy that everything turned violent. The Student Union Government (SUG) president, Paul Alaje, was hurt. I was stabbed in the arm with a knife.
My mum was so scared for my life, and to add insult to injury, there was an Academic Student Union of Universities (ASUU) strike for about four months. It was then my parents decided I had to move to Finland.
So sorry this happened to you. What was the process for migration?
With Finland (as with every other country), the easiest route for migration is through a study permit, which I used. To get information on all the schools in Finland, I first logged into a website called studyinfinland.fi. If you click on the English language option, it has all the info you would need on schools in Finland and the processes involved. You can apply to the website if you open it during the application cycle. With that, you don’t have to pay any application fees.
However, I had to follow the steps. I provided the documents needed, such as my international passport, transcript, WASSCE certificate etc.
Once you’re done with the application, you’ll get a confirmation email and a schedule for a general exam. I hear it’s now online. But in 2010, it was a physical exam, which I wrote in Ikeja, Lagos.
If you pass the exam, you have to go for an interview I had to travel from Nigeria to Accra, Ghana, for that exam. That interview serves as a way for them to judge and understand your English proficiency. They’d also ask for your preferred course of study while in Finland. If you ace the interview, you get your admission letter, and you pay your tuition, which is about €5k. After this, you can apply for resident permit at the embassies in Abuja. It’s that straightforward.
What was schooling in Finland like?
It was excellent. I had to start from scratch when I got to Finland, studying Business Management, but the teachers there were helpful. However, I needed to work and study at the same time, and it was there I got my first political gig in Finland as part of a campaign team.
Nice! What was that like?
In school, I wanted to see how the political atmosphere was; it was a job that was paying at the time. So I helped galvanise people in one or two political campaigns, sending SMS to people. Politics there is almost the same way in Nigeria, with many people trying to persuade people to receive certain ideologies for the betterment of the country.
Aside from politics, I also got to work with a media house, Poland Today, and did some business on the side with friends. It was a great experience.
What made you move back to Nigeria?
I’ve always been a ‘Nigeria-centric’ person. Even from the very first day I arrived in Finland, I didn’t have plans to spend my entire life outside the country. I’ve always had a passion for politics and service. I love helping people, and this makes me happy. But I wanted to help people on a large scale. And this is what made me decide to return to Nigeria and enter politics.
What was the process like?
Unfortunately, due to COVID, I lost hundreds of thousands of euros from my side businesses. I saved some money, but it wasn’t enough to call me rich.
When I returned to Nigeria in February 2021, a good friend connected me to Dipo Awojide’s company, where I became Chief of Staff. I began to receive connections from him, got exposed to various people, and started networking and finding political connections.
Was this how you started politics in Nigeria?
Yes. It began when representatives from two political parties (which I wouldn’t like to disclose) came and promised me tickets to governorship without contesting in the primaries, which I very much refused.
I then got another offer from a friend who knew the Chairman of Accord Party, who knew the man running for governorship in Osun State, Akin Ogunbiyi, who was a billionaire, PhD holder, and that role model Nigerian. He inspired me to register for the Accord Party and my interest in the Osun State House of Assembly.
I also decided to stay in my family house for a while to assimilate into the environment and get to know the people around me. Luckily, my father’s name, Adeoju, was familiar, so it wasn’t too hard.
I then introduced myself to Ogunbiyi, spoke with him, and told him about my qualifications and what I had to offer. He liked me right away.
Did you later run for the Osun State House of Assembly?
No, I didn’t. I only became an aspirant, not a candidate. Before I came to the party, the members already had someone they wanted to put on the ticket. The preferred candidate was also an Osun State-level executive for the party. So, I was a spoiler for them for coming into their system, plus I had the governorship candidate’s backing.
The back and forth was long, but we had to conduct a primary election, which I won. Now, after a primary, the party has to send your name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but my name was never sent. Instead, it was that of my opponent. Because of this incident, I decided that I’d no longer be a party member.
Wow, so sorry. I hope this hasn’t changed your mind about politics?
Yes, I will likely join another political party. I’ve had offers from the two leading parties in Nigeria (PDP and APC) to join them. I consider this recognition as one of the good things that came out of this past election. In my constituency, many people know me; I’m no longer a stranger. I was also able to sell myself to a lot of people. So now, I have my supporter base and people that would like me to contest again.
Those are the few positives from everything that happened. I’m hoping we can get to a point in Nigeria where we can comfortably and confidently say elections are free, fair, and credible. But at the moment, we don’t have one. I believe, however, that we’re moving in the right direction. Especially because you can now check for over-voting, thanks to the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Things are getting better. And I hope they can keep getting better. We can’t give up. Not yet, anyway.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation of results for the 2023 gubernatorial election ends today, March 21, 2023.
Here is a summary of how the top parties won, the incumbent governors that have been re-elected into power, and the parties that still control off-cycle election states:
The Kebbi governorship election is declared inconclusive by INEC due to overvoting in 20 out of 21 LGs.
Adamawa governorship election has also been declared inconclusive by INEC. It is expected that there’d be a rerun election.
Which party led the race?
Apart from the four states where INEC suspended collation, Governors have been declared across the remaining 24 states. The All Progressives Congress won 15 states, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won eight states and the New Nigeria Party (NNPP) with one state (Kano).
Which states had their incumbent governors reelected?
Eleven incumbent governors ran for re-election in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe and Zamfara. However, only six states had their incumbent governors re-elected into power. They are:
Sanwo-Olu, the incumbent governor and APC candidate in Lagos state, has been reelected governor in Nigeria’s commercial capital with 762,134 votes, thereby beating his rival, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party. This was amidst allegations of voter suppression.
Ogun State – Dapo Abiodun
Incumbent governor and APC candidate of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, won his re-election with 276,298 votes to emerge the winner of the keenly contested election. Ladi Adebutu of the PDP came second with 262,383 votes.
Mai Mala Buni has been re-elected Governor of Yobe State, winning in all 17 local government areas of the state with a total of 317,113 votes.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Sharif Abdulahi, came a distant second with a total score of 104,259.
Nasarawa State – Abdullahi Sule
Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) acquired 347,209 votes to beat his closest contender, David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 283,016 votes.
How many off-cycle election states does each party rule?
Only 28 states participated in the 2023 governorship elections. The remaining eight states (Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun, and Ondo) will hold theirs later. This is due to a different election cycle usually caused by litigations.
However, this means that certain states will maintain their party strongholds. Let’s see how many states each major political party in Nigeria still has:
All Progressives Congress (APC) (4)
The APC holds power in these off-cycle states – Ekiti, Imo, Kogi and Ondo.
This means that Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) would all get to keep their seats as governors — in the meantime.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) (3)
Bayelsa, Edo and Osun are under the PDP and will not hold elections. Douye Diri, Godwin Obaseki and Ademola Adeleke, respectively, are still governors of these states.
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) (1)
Only Anambra State under the All Progressives Grand Alliance would not hold elections. Anambra is also the only state in Nigeria that the party controls. Charles Soludo remains governor of Anambra State.
How many states do the parties control overall?
If one adds up the states won from elections to the states a party still rules due to off-cycle polls, here are the results:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) now controls 19 states in Nigeria.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has a stronghold in 11 states.
The New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) now rules Kano State, beating the incumbent APC.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) maintains dominance in Anambra state.
Thank you for following the 2023 governorship and state assembly election coverage with us. Learn more about politics, governance and policies and be a part of a cool community by joining our WhatsApp community here.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation of results for the 2023 gubernatorial election has officially started across 28 states in Nigeria. Here are the results declared:
Seyi Makinde is re-elected governor of Oyo State
Seyi Makinde, the PDP candidate in Oyo state has been declared the winner of the 2023 gubernatorial race in the state. This is with 435,026 votes. This would be Seyi Makinde’s second term as governor of Oyo State.
He is also the only G5 governor that didn’t lose his election.
Sanwo-Olu wins Lagos re-election bid
Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured his re-election bid after winning 18 out of 19 local governments declared so far.
In Eti-Osa, results are yet to be collated. Voting has been postponed in one of the key polling units (VGC) due to last-minute logistical changes from INEC.
Rhodes-Vivour wins Amuwo-Odofin LGA
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP) won the Amuwo-Odofin LGA of Lagos State.
You look like Igbo we will not allow you vote Govt thugs threatened Yoruba woman @Sisi_Yemmie who came out to vote in Lagos. Igbos were stopped from exercising their political will. pic.twitter.com/6c1V3WkcGH
There may be a post-election court tribunal for Lagos State
Yesterday, Rhodes-Vivour went on Twitter to reassure supporters that their votes will be rightfully defended. In Nigeria, we know there’s only one way you can do that – in a court of law.
Every vote cast for me was done in the face of intimidation and risk of personal harm. Every such vote must count. Defending every one of those votes is a sacred duty. I will defend your votes – this is my vow to every LP voter.
To be part of the conversation, join our WhatsApp community here.
The 2023 gubernatorial elections have kicked off across 28 states in Nigeria today. States like Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun States won’t have elections today, as they operate a different cycle.
Also holding today are the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency election halted during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly polls. This resulted from the omission of the Labour Party logo and that of the Enugu East Senatorial District, which was shifted following the killing of Oyibo Chukwu, the party’s candidate in the district, on February 22.
Here are the updates so far:
Violence in Lagos State
Voters in several parts of Lagos State have complained of harassment and intimidation by political party agents and thugs.
No one can intimidate me!! I have every right to carry out my duty No amount of abuse or vitriol will work.. You are a public servant!! I have taken note of all your thugs!! pic.twitter.com/XeUJ6M3RzN
A Twitter user (@omoelerinjare) claims that his uncle was attacked with his ear bleeding in the Desa Ibeju Lekki polling unit for refusing to vote for the APC.
A voter with his polling unit in Ibeju-Lekki High School, Lagos, also said, “APC thugs just finished beating me now in my polling unit, 007 Ibeju 1, at the premises of Ibeju High School, Ibeju-Lekki Lagos. They were chasing everyone they feel will vote for LP. I intervened and they descended on me and started beating me.”
“They were 13 thugs that were beating me. The thugs dragged me out of the premises and dragged other LP voters in my PU out. They smashed my phone. Agberos have taken over the polling units in Ibeju.”
APC thugs just finished beating me now in my polling unit, 007 Ibeju 1, at the premises of Ibeju High School, Ibeju-Lekki Lagos. They were chasing everyone they feel will vote for LP. I intervened and they descended on me and started beating me.
At Ward E3, St Stephen’s School, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, the incumbent governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu made his way to vote at around 10 a.m. He was seen to be ‘calming down his supporters.’
At 11 a.m., Citizen learnt that security operatives killed a voter as thugs, allegedly sponsored by the PDP, attempted to disrupt voting in Gboko South at polling units 026 and 004 of Benue state.
Other states seem to be peaceful
Other states, such as Kwara and Delta, are seeing peaceful voting process so far.
Be sure to get the latest coverage on the 2023 gubernatorial elections right here on Citizen! If you want to be part of the conversation, you can join our community here.
This is because INEC would need to take their time to manually configure over 176,000 Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for each polling unit across the country. And that, my friends, ‘takes a lot of work’.
How we imagine INEC officials after reconfiguring 176,000 BVAS machines
But now that these elections have been postponed, what do you need to know?
Campaigns continue until March 16
All party supporters and patriotic citizens are free to continue ‘moving the ministry’ of their preferred candidate — up until midnight of Thursday, March 16, 2023. This is in alignment with the 2022 Electoral Act.
If you get caught after the said date, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
INEC is ready to release election materials for access in court
Recently, two contenders during the presidential elections (Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar) filed ex parte applications. The purpose was to seek permission to access election materials from INEC.
However, INEC was against this, as they insisted that it would disrupt the elections. Rather, in a show of good faith, they assured them that the election materials would still be made available to them if needed in court. But only until after the elections.
Political parties can also apply to get certified True copies of backend data on the BVAS. This is just in case there are any trust issues.
Now you know the updates! Citizen promises to give you the full gist of the 2023 gubernatorial elections come March 18! Stay sharp and stay glued to our election results screen! Or join us on WhatsApp.
On March 1, Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, announced Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s president-elect, and none of his co-contestants was happy.
The losers, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar
Just two days after the announcement, the duo filed two separate ex-parte applications to the Court of Appeal. Its purpose was to inspect the materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the elections.
That way, if there was any manipulation or mago mago done to the election result figures, they can easily catch INEC red-handed.
If it does, then it’s best to learn how this works. Let’s dive right in:
How are post-election tribunals set up?
Firstly, we must understand that election courts are not the same as regular courts. This is handled by specialised courts called election petition tribunal courts, which are usually run by the Court of Appeal.
The 2022 Electoral Act gives us the basic guidelines and principles of setting up a post-election tribunal under various sections:
Section 130 (1) states that “No election and return at an election under this Act shall be questioned in any manner other than by a petition complaining of an undue election or undue return (in this Act referred to as an “election petition”) presented to the competent tribunal or court in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution or of this Act, and in which the person elected or returned is joined as a party.”
Section 130 (3) (a) states that the Court of Appeal should set up the tribunal not later than 30 days before the election, with the register for tribunals opened seven days before the election.
Who can file for a post-election tribunal?
Sadly, only political candidates that participated in the election can file for a post-election tribunal. Patriotic citizens are not on the list.
What is the election tribunal timeframe?
An election petition must be presented and filed within 21 days of the declaration of the result.
Once a candidate fails to file his/her petition within 21 days, he/she loses the right of action. The petition would be declared null and void.
Also, the election petition must be heard and judgement delivered within 180 days from the date of the filing of the petition.
Is there more than one post-election tribunal?
Presidential candidates can decide to go to the Supreme Court if they are not satisfied with the judgement from the Court of Appeal.
However, if you’re a national or state assembly candidate, the Court of Appeal is your final bus stop. Once they give a ruling, it cannot be petitioned in a higher court.
With that being said, you can be sure to watch out for Citizen updates on the 2023 post-election drama. Stay tuned!
The Nigerian Voter is a series that seeks to understand the motivations that drive the voting decisions of Nigerians — why they vote, how they pick their candidates, why some have never voted, and their wildest stories around elections.
Editorial Note: The Nigerian Voter is a platform for Nigerians to passionately discuss policies and politics with little interference to individual opinions. While our editorial standards emphasise the truth and we endeavour to fact-check claims and allegations, we do not bear any responsibility for allegations made about other people that are founded in half-truths.
The subject of today’s “The Nigerian Voter” is Victor, a travel consultant in his mid-twenties who is a resident of Lagos State. He told us about his shattered dreams for Obi as president, his reasons for preferring a second term with Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Lagos State governor, and his thoughts on the other Lagos gubernatorial candidates for the March 11 elections.
When was the first election that you participated in?
The 2023 election was the first election I participated in. This is because I never had an interest in politics until the EndSARS movement when people came out to protest in large numbers and were also killed. I always felt that nothing in the political system of Nigeria could change, but something very special happened during EndSARS — there was just this newfound belief that people had the power in their hands to make the country work. This belief birthed in me the desire to vote. I no longer wanted to sit on the fence and criticize the government. I registered for my Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) in 2021 and voted in 2023.
Who did you vote for during the 2023 presidential elections and why?
During the presidential elections, I voted for Peter Obi of the Labour Party. I don’t vote based on parties but rather based on individuals. Peter Obi was my best choice because I saw his background as an economist and I felt he could fix up our economy. I was so disappointed when he lost.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level has failed us woefully, especially in my area of expertise.
For instance, in Jonathan’s time, it is possible for you to see the Naira to Dollar exchange rate between ₦180-₦200. But now, with a ₦740 to a dollar exchange rate, a round-trip ticket from Nigeria to London would cost you nothing less than ₦3.3 million through Virgin Airways. This was a place that people used to go to for ₦110,000 back in the day. This has really discouraged people from travelling.
Now that Tinubu is president-elect, have you accepted the current administration?
Well for me, no. I’ve not accepted that man as my president, but at the same time, I don’t want to get my hopes high. He may not be Buhari but he still had a crucial role to play towards his administration.
I’m just watching and waiting for what happens over the next couple of months regarding the post-election tribunals.
Have you ever taken an interest in Lagos State governance? What are your thoughts?
Yes, I have. I firstly believe that it is Babatunde Fashola that really made the positive changes in Lagos, not Tinubu. Then Akinwunmi Ambode did his best, then Sanwo-Olu came in.
I believe that the current governor has tried in his capacity. A lot of projects have been going on such as The Blue Rail Project, the invention of new road networks, and even safety too. If you go back to some years before now, there are areas in Lagos that you can’t even go to once it’s 7 p.m. due to thug harassment. But Sanwo-Olu has been able to take care of those boys and make the roads safe for travel.
For instance, there was a friend of mine that came to Lagos recently and arrived in Oshodi at midnight. I was so scared for her safety, but she got to her place unhurt. It was even the touts that were helping her and warning others that she shouldn’t get hurt. I was really amazed. This would have been a very risky move for her to make some years back.
He has also tried in education. I spoke with a friend who is a teacher, and she told me that the education system has improved greatly in the last four years. The curriculum now has been made to properly prepare students towards the needs of the outside world. With all these testimonies, I feel the activities and governance of Lagos State have been a success so far under Sanwo-Olu.
So is it fair to say that you’d vote Sanwo-Olu for re-election as Lagos State governor?
Yes, this is definitely what I’m doing. I’ve noticed that Sanwo-Olu always tries to make amends for his wrongs. I know some think he is doing this just for his re-election, but this is a trait I’ve always noticed in him. Some leaders (whom I’d rather not name) would prefer that the country burns than listen to what you have to say. But that’s not Sanwo-Olu.
For instance, look at this cash scarcity issue. He has made sure that all Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles have their fares cut to 50% and the same is true for vehicles under the National Road Union of Transport Workers (NURTW). That is the act of a leader that listens and cares for people.
(Editorial note: Sanwo-Olu did reduce the fares of all state-owned transportation services by 50% in February 2023. However, there is no news on a fare reduction from the NURTW.)
What would you then say about his lack of accountability towards the Lekki Toll Gate shootings?
One thing people don’t realise is that there is no established fact on who gave the order for the shooting. This October would make it three years since the tragedy happened, but we still don’t know for a fact. So how can you then accuse Sanwo-Olu directly for anything?
Also, I feel the administration of Lagos is purely run as a godfatherism thing. This is not to say that Sanwo-Olu is completely a puppet. But what if the order came from above and was completely out of his hands? That is something that would not be publicised. He tried to pay the medical bills for victims as well as set up a panel of inquiry. Is that the best he could do? Not quite, but I’d not hold that against him. I really don’t think that Sanwo-Olu is responsible for what happened, until we are aware of who gave the order.
(Editorial note: Sanwo-Olu did set up a trust fund of ₦200 million to compensate victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shootings. He also set up a panel of inquiry. However, it is not clear if the trust fund was set aside specifically for medical bills or not.)
What would you say about the other Lagos gubernatorial candidates?
I know of the Labour Party guy (Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour) and Jandor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). For Gbadebo, I’d say that I never knew him until after the presidential election. I feel he is personally running off the wave of support for Peter Obi, which honestly is smart in a sense. I don’t blame him for it. However, this doesn’t mean that the man has elaborated fully on what he has to offer Lagosians.
For Jandor, I don’t know his portfolio. I only know that Fashola said that he was his cameraman when he was in power.
What are those problems that you’d like Sanwo-Olu if re-elected?
Well, now that we have a Tinubu presidency incoming, I want Sanwo-Olu to have a very firm grip on the agberos or touts. I don’t want Lagos to be violent from the activities of these people again just because Tinubu is president.
I’d also like for him to continue his work on infrastructure. He has been trying but there are many places in Lagos that still has bad or poorly maintained roads.
In the end, after all said and done, a Nigerian politician would always be a Nigerian politician. I’m not expecting him to be a Messiah, but he should try as much as possible to make life easy for the average Lagosian. That’s all I require.
