Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has asserted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) holds the primary responsibility for determining the winners of elections in Nigeria, and this role should not rest with the judiciary.
Falana made this statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” program. His remarks follow the recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 general election, dismissing petitions from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
Falana acknowledged that the Supreme Court’s judgment concluded the presidential election contest, but it did not represent a judicial endorsement of INEC’s conduct during the election. He emphasized that Nigeria still has a long way to go in terms of ensuring credible and acrimony-free elections, regardless of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
While the presidential election has now been concluded, Falana stressed that it should have been finalized in February, not following a Supreme Court decision. He expressed his belief that the judiciary should not be the institution responsible for determining the winners of elections in the country.
