Edo PDP Chieftain Carpets Cardinal Onaiyekan’s Statement on 2023 Elections

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr. Charles Idahosa, has criticised the Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, for describing the 2023 general election as the worst in Nigeria’s history.

Cardinal Onaiyekan few days ago reportedly said there have been previous instances of flawed elections but that the flaws in the last elections were unparalleled.

 Speaking to journalists in Benin-city, the Edo State capital, Idahosa said the 2023 elections remain one of the best in the country with the kind of upsets it created and new colouration in the National Assembly where not less than eight political parties won seats in the two chambers.

According to Idahosa, the position of Onaiyekan was deliberately sponsored by one of the opposition parties ahead of expected ruling by the Presidential Election Tribunal, which he said the opposition parties were likely going to lose.

The Edo politician said: “It is very disappointing for a man who holds such a position in Christendom, whose voice a lot of people will take very seriously to talk like that. It is an embarrassment to Christians.

“The president (Tinubu), has been sworn in and the court is sitting. Look at the timing that Onaiyekan spoke, when we are waiting for the judgment of the court? They must have shopped for this kind of statement at this critical time. I have been in politics for over 40 years, so those of us who participated are the ones that would say whether this is not a fair election.

“What he said is very shocking because he doesn’t know anything about the elections. This is one of the best elections in the country ever. I am not in APC, I am a PDP chieftain and you know what we went through. An election where Tinubu lost Lagos, somebody would come out to say that? If anybody was going to rig the elections, would he not rig his place? An election where Buhari lost Katsina State, 10 sitting governors lost Senate seats, that means their states were divided into three and they couldn’t win, and somebody would say this is the worst election?

 “The moment the Cardinal threw his hat into the ring, he is now like any of us. He has taken sides, but he should not have spoken at all. This is an election where eight political parties are represented in the National Assembly.”