Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay SAN, has described the 2023 general election as the best in the nation’s history.
He said this as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
The senior lawyer said that the just-concluded election was credible, citing the loss of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in his Lagos stronghold.
“In my personal opinion, in terms of representing the minds and wishes of Nigerians in an election, this is probably the best election we have had,” he said.
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He added, “So, we had good elections in 2011, 2015, and 2019. But in terms of representing or interpreting what Nigerians feel, it [2023]is the best election we have ever had.
“If you look at the ways things have gone with the BVAS (Bimordal Voter Accreditation System), the very idea that the APC was defeated in Lagos, that should make you realise immediately that these are very credible elections. If you go through the whole country, it is the same sort of accuracy and reflection on the feelings of Nigerians.”
According to Sagay, youths criticising the just-concluded elections lack experience of Nigeria’s elections.
He highlighted factors that helped Tinubu clinch the election.
“Most people who commented on the election are probably the youths who have not witnessed many elections in the history of Nigeria. This is the best election we have ever had, particularly those conducted by politicians.
“I believe this election was controlled by ethnicity, religion and capacity to organise. If you look at the results carefully, the man who performed credibly across the board is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“There is no evidence of manipulation as claimed. Can you imagine Tinubu losing in Lagos State? That shows you the extent of credibility of the polls,” Sagay said.