Scores of protesters from different political parties Tuesday stormed the Presidential Collation Centre at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, to demand for electronic transmission of results from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The protest took place at the nearby Emeka Anyaoku Street, Area 11, in the light of the tight security cordon at the International Conference Centre.
This is even INEC says calls on its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu to resign is misplaced.
INEC Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi in a statement on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, said the calls by the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are misplaced.
He specifically singled out the PDP agent, Senator Dino Melaye on the allegation that the INEC Chairman allocated scores to parties.
“The call by the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party for the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resign is misplaced. The allegation by Dino Melaye that the INEC Chairman allocated scores to parties is unfounded and irresponsible,” the statement read.
“At the same time, contrary to the insinuation by both parties, results emanating from the States point to a free, fair and credible process.
According to Oyekanmi, there are laid down procedures for aggrieved parties or candidates to follow when they are dissatisfied with the outcome of an election.
Such procedures, he stated, do not include calling on the INEC Chairman to resign or for the election to be cancelled.
“To be sure, aggrieved parties are free to approach the courts to ventilate their concerns and wait for the matter to be resolved. Making inciting comments capable of causing violence or unrest is unacceptable.
The 2023 general election processes are in their final stages of completion. It is only fair for aggrieved parties to allow the conclusion of the process and approach the courts with their evidence to pursue their cases,” he added.
But, Yakubu said the commission would rvow the results necessary and in accordance with the Section 65 of the Electoral Act.Y
akubu stated this Tuesday at the ongoing collation of presidential election results in Abuja.
He said: “In accordance with the new electoral Act particularly under section 65 of the Electoral Act, we will review the election where it is absolutely necessary
But the protesters, according to Thisday, expressed dissatisfaction with the failure by INEC Chairman Dr Mamood Yakubu to abide by his promise to relay the result of the election via electronic transmission.
They asked the INEC Chairman to fulfil what his promise of an election that is transparent and open process promised Nigerians several months before the election.
One of the protesters, Lillian Kozau, who spoke with reporters, called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his image to be tarnished and his legacy destroyed by the INEC.
“INEC assured us that it would be a transparent process. They assured us of a transparent process and that the BVAS would be used, which is supposed to be an electronic process. Yet, after three days, 23 states still need to be uploaded. Why? Does this mean we will be doing this for one week?
“Why will a result be deleted from a platform after it has been uploaded? What are they up to? All we asked for was a transparent process. We just wanted whoever we voted for to emerge as the president of this country. We just wanted hope; we just wanted things to work. We are not asking for too much,” Kozau said.
Another protester, Dr Lovett Izekor asked the international community and the international election observers to mount pressure on the federal government to ensure INEC sticks to the promise of electronic transition of results.
