Okonkwo tackles Tinubu over comment about INEC, says Nigeria in trouble

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is worried. The comments from President Bola Tinubu defending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have left him questioning the stability of the country. Okonkwo believes that a president defending INEC instead of addressing public concerns about its credibility is a red flag. "It is very sad. Any country that has a president who has morphed into the chief spokesperson of INEC is in trouble," he said on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily.

President Tinubu's assertion that INEC is impartial raises more questions than answers. Okonkwo pointed out that the unresolved issues from the 2023 general election continue to cast doubt on the commission's neutrality. He also brought up Tinubu's own criticism of INEC during the 2015 campaign, where he threatened to form a parallel government if the commission rigged the election. "The same Tinubu who, during the 2015 campaign, said they would form a parallel government if INEC rigged the election," Okonkwo said, questioning the President's credibility on the issue.

Okonkwo is not convinced that INEC has done enough to earn Nigerians' confidence. He cited the technical glitch in 2023, which the commission has not satisfactorily explained to the public. "An INEC that recorded a technical glitch in 2023 and has not satisfactorily explained it to Nigerians cannot simply be declared neutral," he said. Okonkwo's words are a stark contrast to Tinubu's claims of INEC's impartiality, leaving one to wonder if the commission is truly neutral.

Okonkwo believes that President Tinubu's performance in office will make it difficult for him to secure a second term. He argued that the President should step aside rather than seek re-election. "Tinubu should not even allow the election to hold; he should resign and go in peace," he said. Okonkwo's comments are a reflection of the growing discontent with Tinubu's administration, which may be a harbinger of things to come in the 2027 presidential election.

Okonkwo's comments are not just a critique of Tinubu's administration, but also evidence of the ADC's resilience in the face of adversity. The party has successfully resisted attempts to remove it from Nigeria's political landscape through the courts. "I had boasted that ADC does not have any legal challenge because we know the only challenge it has is the APC trying to use some instruments in the judiciary to litigate us out of existence," he said. Okonkwo's words are a warning to the ruling All Progressives Congress, which he accuses of attempting to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Okonkwo's comments leave one to wonder if Nigeria is indeed in trouble. The country's electoral system has been marred by controversy, and the President's defense of INEC has only added fuel to the fire. Okonkwo's words are a clarion call for Nigerians to take a closer look at the country's electoral system and demand accountability from those in power.

As the 2027 general elections draw near, Okonkwo's comments serve as a reminder that the stakes are high. Will Nigeria's electoral system deliver a free and fair election, or will the country continue down the path of controversy and discontent?