Nigeria Will Suffer If INEC ‘Messes’ With Edo Election – Chidi Odinkalu

• Chidi Odinkalu warns Nigeria to face repercussions if INEC mishandles the Edo governorship election, emphasizing the state’s strategic importance
• Odinkalu’s criticism of INEC has drawn backlash, with figures like Davido calling it the “most dangerous institution” due to election mishandling

Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has warned that Nigeria would face significant repercussions if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) mishandles the ongoing governorship election in Edo State. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Odinkalu emphasized the state’s strategic importance, stating that it is a key transit point in the country, with many major routes passing through it.

He wrote, “If Mahmood Yakubu & @inecnigeria mess with #EdoDecides2024, all of #Nigeria will suffer it: there is hardly anywhere you can go in Nigeria without passing through Edo.”

Odinkalu’s remarks follow his earlier criticism of INEC, which sparked a response from Kamson Chidubem, convener of the Civic Integrity Initiative (CII), who accused Odinkalu of making biased and unjustified critiques.

Nigerian music artist Davido also voiced his discontent with INEC, calling it the “most dangerous institution in Nigeria” due to perceived mishandling of the election. Both figures have drawn attention to concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process in Edo.