Bishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has alleged that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu mislead Nigerians and showed high level dishonesty in the conduct of the 2023 elections.
Addressing newsmen on Saturday in Port Harcourt, in Rivers State, during the 10th anniversary celebration of the Jesuit Memorial College, Onaiyekan accused Mahmood of failing to tell Nigerians the truth, when he knew things were going the wrong ways.
The cleric, however, insisted that the truth should prevail even as the opposition was challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 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.”
He pledged continuous prayers for Nigeria.
“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,” he added.