“Many No Longer Trust the Process”: INEC, Catholic Bishops Clash Over 2023 Election
- Nigeria’s Catholic bishops have condemned the 2023 general elections, warning that widespread irregularities have shattered public trust in the democratic process
- INEC swiftly rejected the criticism, branding the bishops’ verdict as “ungodly” and insisting the polls met legal standards
- Amid rising insecurity and economic hardship, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji called for urgent reforms to prevent national collapse
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has sharply criticised the conduct of the 2023 general elections, warning that the flawed process has severely undermined public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking during an interactive session with lay faithful of the Calabar Ecclesiastical Province in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday, CBCN President and Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Ugorji, declared that the country was “sinking on many fronts.”
Source: Twitter
Ugorji lamented that electoral malpractice, fraud, and technical glitches had eroded citizens’ trust in the electoral system.
“Citizens’ confidence in the electoral process was seriously eroded during the last general elections by electoral malpractice, fraud and the so-called election glitches,” he said.
He called for sweeping reforms, including real-time electronic transmission and collation of results, and constitutional amendments to guarantee the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Most appointments to the electoral body so far could neither be seen as non-partisan nor independent,” Ugorji stated.
“This calls for the amendment to the Constitution to strengthen the independence and credibility of INEC and protect it from political manipulation.”
INEC defends 2023 election integrity, rejects Bishops’ verdict
In a swift rebuttal, INEC dismissed the bishops’ assessment as unfounded and “ungodly.” The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, issued a statement on Sunday rejecting the CBCN’s claims.
“It is unfair and even ungodly to narrow down the credibility of the outcome of the 2023 general election to the unfortunate glitch that happened to the INEC Result Viewing portal,” Oyekanmi said.
He insisted that the election met legal standards and challenged the bishops to provide evidence of rigging.
“I want to affirm, without any fear of contradiction, that the 2023 general election was one of the best ever conducted in Nigeria. It was not a perfect election, but it met the threshold of substantial compliance,” he stated.
Oyekanmi defended the integrity of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, which experienced a technical failure during the presidential election. He argued that the glitch had been exaggerated in public discourse.
“The glitch that happened to the IReV is being erroneously projected as rigging the election. But the IReV does not add, subtract, or collate election results. It only displays the results already declared at the polling units,” he explained.
Archbishop Ugorji decries national decline, urges political reform
Beyond electoral concerns, Archbishop Ugorji painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape, citing insecurity, poverty, corruption, and poor governance. “We also lament that our beloved country, Nigeria, is sinking on many fronts,” he said.
He described widespread violence and displacement, noting that many communities had become “communities of fear, flight and funerals.” Ugorji added, “Our fellow citizens are being daily kidnapped, extorted, dehumanised, killed or forced to flee their ancestral homes.”
On the economy, he said Nigerians were “groaning under hardship,” with youth unemployment fuelling crime and migration.
He also referenced the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in London on 13 July 2025 as a stark reminder of the country’s failing health sector.
“Billions spent by leaders on medical tourism contrast sharply with the suffering of ordinary citizens who cannot access basic care at home,” he noted.
Ugorji warned that the rot extended to education and energy, citing underfunded schools and persistent power outages.
“Our educational institutions are facing significant challenges, including inadequate funding, decaying infrastructure and a diminishing number of qualified teachers,” he lamented.
CBCN calls for political education and civic engagement
The Archbishop urged Christians and the laity to take active roles in national transformation. He encouraged them to register, vote, join political parties, and contest leadership positions.
Quoting Vatican II and Pope John Paul II, Ugorji emphasised the importance of political education for young Nigerians.
“If we expect much from the laity in the area of national transformation, much has to be given to them in terms of political education,” he said.
Major Prophet releases prophecy ahead of 2027 election
Legit.ng earlier reported that a Nigerian pastor known as Major Prophet has made a series of bold predictions concerning the political climate leading up to the 2027 presidential election, warning of intensified witch-hunting against opposition figures.
In a recently circulated video, Major Prophet claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would increasingly target politicians, particularly those aligned with opposition parties.
He cited the recent invitation of former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal by the EFCC over alleged corruption as evidence that his prophecy was already unfolding.
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Source: Legit.ng
