John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Bishop Emeritus of Abuja, has criticized the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, for not being honest with Nigerians about the 2023 elections. He said that Yakubu was misleading the public by claiming that everything went well, when he knew that there were problems.
The Cardinal made these remarks on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the 10th anniversary celebration of the Jesuit Memorial College. He spoke to newsmen and accused Yakubu of hiding the truth from Nigerians.
He also urged Nigerians to reject the situation where certificates are forged and elections are rigged. He said that the truth should prevail, even as the opposition was challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory in court.
He said, “We should refuse to agree that this is a country where certificates are forged and it is okay. 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.
“Nothing wrong with admitting that things did not go so well. If we don’t tell the truth, we will not move forward. 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.”
The Cardinal said that he would continue to pray for Nigeria. He said, “I am a religious person and I keep praying to God to forgive us and to show us the truth because if we tell the truth, things will move fast. Nigerians are wonderful and I still hope that things will move fast.
“Whatever the judges may decide, whatever courts may say, at the end of the day, the truth will make us free.”