Ex-Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, has termed the 2023 general elections as “credible in many substantial aspects.”

Diverse reactions trailed the elections and results provoking legal battles from election petitions tribunals, court of appeal to the Supreme Court.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Tonight on Monday, Mr Jega noted that his favourable appraisal of the polls was not intended to defend the incumbent INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood.

He said, “I would say that, in many substantial aspects, it was credible. In areas where we have seen serious challenges that are avoidable and should have been avoided, I believe that to a large extent – and you have asked me to be very frank with you – we have a tendency to heap blame on the leadership of an electoral management body and I have had my own fair share of those kinds of blames.’’

The professor asserted that blame should be apportioned appropriately in the conduct of elections, declaring that politicians played direct roles in areas where there were “very serious challenges.”

He added that such influence “more or less circumscribed the powers” of the electoral commission and its chairman.

“So, to my mind, really, it’s unfortunate it has happened on the watch of Yakubu Mahmood but it has happened not because – to my mind, I have no evidence that he is complicit in these things,” he stated.