Cardinal Onaiyekan accuses INEC chairman of dishonesty in 2023 elections

John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Bishop Emeritus of Abuja, has strongly criticized the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, accusing him of misleading Nigerians and lacking honesty in the conduct of the 2023 elections.

During the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Jesuit Memorial College in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Cardinal Onaiyekan expressed his discontent, stressing that Mahmood was not forthcoming with the truth, even when he knew that things didn’t go smoothly during the elections.

He emphasized the importance of the truth and how it should prevail, especially as the opposition was challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory in court.

Cardinal Onaiyekan specifically pointed out, “We should refuse to accept a situation where elections are rigged, and you are told to go to court. These things have consequences. Jesus says you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free. INEC should accept that they have a very heavy trust deficit.”

He encouraged a more transparent approach by stating, “Nothing is wrong with admitting that things did not go so well. If we don’t tell the truth, we will not move forward.”

The Cardinal expressed his dismay at Professor Mahmood’s public statements, saying, “When I heard Professor Mahmood on television, even yesterday, telling us that everything went perfectly well, I shed tears. He knows he was not telling the truth.”

Cardinal Onaiyekan concluded that he would continue to pray for Nigeria, holding onto the belief that honesty and truth will ultimately set the nation free.