The Board of Trustees of the Labour Party has expressed its dismay over what it describes as a gag order imposed on its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The development was made public through a press statement released on Monday by Emmanuel Idakwo, the Kogi State Publicity Secretary of the party, in Lokoja.
Titled “Disagreement and rebuttal of the incorrect criticisms of some groups in Middle Belt against Peter Obi,” the statement expressed in strong terms, the restrictions allegedly placed on Obi by certain pressure groups within the Middle Belt Pan Nigeria Forum.
According to the Labour Party, these directives prohibit Obi from making public statements concerning the controversies surrounding the 2023 presidential election.
The Labour Party described the election as having serious integrity issues, notably concerning the transmission of results from polling units to the Integrated Results Election Viewing (IREV) platform, which sparked widespread claims of irregularities.
“The imposition of a gag order on our presidential candidate is deeply troubling and unjust,” Idakwo stated. “Such actions are inappropriate and undermine the principles of free speech crucial for addressing and rectifying the alleged electoral malpractices.”
He emphasized the necessity for Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State, to freely discuss the past election to ensure improvements in Nigeria’s electoral processes moving forward.
The Labour Party has called for this matter to be addressed promptly, advocating for the preservation of democratic norms and the protection of the rights of political figures to engage openly on issues affecting national elections.
“The mandate of INEC to ensure that Nigerian citizens’ votes are accurately counted and reflected in the final results has come under scrutiny with reports suggesting discrepancies between votes cast and the results announced. The disenchantment felt by the electorate due to these irregularities undermines the democratic principles upheld by our nation.
“It is imperative that measures are taken to address these concerns and uphold the credibility of the electoral process. Restricting candidates from speaking out on such issues only serves to stifle transparency and hinder the path towards a fair and just election outcome.
“We call for a reevaluation of this seeming statement that appears to be the hands of Esau but the voice of Jacob,” he said.
Idakwo said that the European Union Report on the presidential election stands as a comprehensive analysis and critique, serving as a paradigm for electoral processes worldwide.
“The evident shortcomings revealed during the election proceedings have cast a shadow of doubt over the integrity of our electoral system. Regrettably, the lack of transparency and accountability exhibited by the electoral management body has only fueled scepticism and disillusionment among the populace.
“Despite the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Election Tribunal’s decision, it does not negate the glaring irregularities that marred the electoral process. The absence of a plausible explanation for the technical glitches further compounds the scepticism surrounding the election outcome.
“The notion that the Supreme Court’s ruling was a foregone conclusion raises questions about the independence and impartiality of our judicial system,” he added.
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