Obi: South Africa’s election a shining example, better than Nigeria’s ‘show of shame’

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, says the recent election in South Africa is a shining example of what a transparent process should look like.

The country’s general election saw the end of the dominance of the African National Congress (ANC).

The party, which has governed the country since 1994, only secured 40.18 percent of the vote.

The Democratic Alliance got 21.81 percent, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party 14.58 percent, and the Economic Freedom Fighters 9.52 percent. This means the country would be forced to produce a coalition to run its affairs.

In a series of posts on X on Saturday, Obi said South Africa’s election demonstrated the “robustness” of their system.

“The outcome of the recent South African election results remains a shining example of what a transparent and efficient democratic electoral process should look like,” he said.

“This is in stark contrast to the show of shame that the giant of Africa, Nigeria, gave the World in 2023. Nigeria’s 2023, with less than 30% of voter turnout and over 60% of the polling stations starting late, no diaspora voting,

“The elections were plagued by allegations of fraud and widespread irregularities, all forms of glitches, despite an enormous expenditure to the tune of about a billion dollars (direct allocation of =N=313 Billion and donor agencies supports)

“The process has been widely discredited. The differences between the two countries’ electoral processes are both stark and lamentable. South Africa’s Election Results Center, with its state-of-the-art electronic board, showcased results with unparalleled precision and speed.

“Meanwhile, Nigeria’s electoral process is mired in controversy and lacks transparency. This glaring juxtaposition is a painful reminder of our country’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance.”

The former governor of Anambra said there is an urgent need for comprehensive electoral reforms to ensure that Nigeria’s elections are free, fair, and credible.