Catholic Bishops Slam 2023 Elections, INEC Fires Back with ‘Ungodly’ Verdict Remark

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are locked in a heated war of words over the credibility of the 2023 general elections. While the bishops condemned the polls as fraudulent and damaging to democracy, the electoral body dismissed their stance as “ungodly” and lacking evidence.

The clash came to light on Saturday during the 2025 interactive session of the CBCN with the laity of the Calabar Ecclesiastical Province in Akwa Ibom State. Speaking at the event, the President of the CBCN and Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Ugorji, declared that Nigeria was “sinking on many fronts,” with the disputed 2023 elections worsening citizens’ disillusionment with governance.

According to him, corruption remains at the heart of Nigeria’s problems, eating into every sector like “a deadly cancer.” He accused politicians of prioritizing their ambitions for the 2027 elections over governance and the welfare of the people.

“While the country is faced with serious existential threats, many politicians at the national and sub-national levels seem more preoccupied with the 2027 general elections and less concerned with fulfilling their campaign promises,” he said.

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Bishops Demand Electoral Reforms

Turning to electoral matters, Archbishop Ugorji said the 2023 elections had further eroded public trust in Nigeria’s democracy. He blamed “fraud, malpractice, and glitches” for undermining the credibility of the polls.

“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 declared.

To restore faith, the bishops called for sweeping reforms, including:

• Real-time electronic transmission and collation of results.
• Constitutional amendments to guarantee INEC’s independence.
• Transparent, non-partisan appointments of electoral officials.

“Most appointments to the electoral body so far could neither be seen as non-partisan nor independent. This calls for the amendment to the Constitution to strengthen the independence and credibility of INEC and protect it from political manipulation,” Ugorji emphasized.

He also warned against resisting reform: “Fundamental reforms are necessary for the preservation of social stability, and those who try to frustrate such peaceful changes make violent changes unavoidable.”

INEC Fires Back

But INEC swiftly rejected the bishops’ assessment. In a statement to The Punch on Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, hit back hard at the clerics.

“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 the election met the legal threshold of “substantial compliance,” describing it as “one of the best ever conducted in Nigeria.” According to him, allegations of fraud were unfounded, and critics lacked credible evidence.

“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 argued.

He went further to challenge the bishops directly: “Anyone who has any evidence to the contrary should please come forward with it. And I specifically challenge the Catholic Bishops to come forward with their evidence if they are so sure that the election was rigged—otherwise, they should fear God and hold their peace henceforth.”

INEC Defends Glitched Portal

A key point of contention was the malfunction of the INEC Result Viewing portal (IReV) during the presidential election. The bishops said it was a sign of manipulation, but INEC maintained it was merely a technical issue.

“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,” Oyekanmi explained.

He compared the malfunction to everyday technical failures: “Technical glitches happen every now and then with our phones, social media platforms, the banks, and so on. Why is the IReV glitch being viewed differently?”

According to INEC, the real results were recorded at polling units and verified by party agents. Copies of Form EC8A, which contain polling unit results, were distributed to political parties, making manipulation impossible.

Bishops Broaden Criticism to Governance

Beyond elections, Archbishop Ugorji lamented worsening insecurity, poverty, and bad governance in Nigeria. He painted a grim picture of communities living in fear due to kidnappings, killings, and mass displacement.

“Insecurity continues to haunt us. Many towns and villages across the nation have become communities of fear, flight, and funerals. Our fellow citizens are being daily kidnapped, extorted, dehumanized, killed, or forced to flee their ancestral homes,” he said.

On the economy, Ugorji said Nigerians were “groaning under hardship,” with unemployment and poverty driving many into crime or risky migration. He pointed to July 13, 2025—the day former President Muhammadu Buhari died in London—as evidence of the collapse of Nigeria’s health sector, noting that leaders spend billions on medical tourism while ordinary citizens suffer.

The archbishop also criticized the education and energy sectors:

• Schools suffer from poor funding, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of qualified teachers.
• The power sector is crippled by frequent outages and outdated facilities, raising costs for businesses and households.

Call for Active Citizenship

Archbishop Ugorji urged Christians and laity to rise to the challenge of transforming society. He encouraged political education for youths, civic participation, and even active involvement in political parties.

“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, quoting Vatican II and Pope John Paul II.

What Lies Ahead

The clash between the bishops and INEC underscores Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with electoral credibility. While the clergy warns of instability without reform, INEC insists the system is sound and its critics are misguided.

For citizens, the debate reflects deeper anxieties about governance, accountability, and the future of democracy. With the 2027 elections already on the horizon, the pressure to restore faith in Nigeria’s democratic process has never been greater.