PDP To INEC: Halt Announcement of Manipulated Results Now
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to halt announcement of every manipulated results.
Accoding to a press statement signed by National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Debo Ologunagba, on the Position of the PDP on the ongoing of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election Results by INEC,stated that:
“It is very clear from the votes as cast at the Polling Units across the country, that the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar substantially defeated the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with the expressed aspiration and Will of Nigerians.
“However, it is alarming that INEC is aiding and abetting the rigging and manipulation of the election results in favour of the APC by flagrant and provocative violation of the express provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 by refusing and neglecting to transmit directly the results of the elections from the Polling Unit to the INEC Server/Website as required by law.
“For clarity, Section 64 (4) (b) of the Electoral Act, 2022 specifically provide thus:
Consequent on the above Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act 2022, any result announced by INEC is ultra vires, illegal, and of no consequence unless they are results already transmitted DIRECTLY from the Polling Units.
So procedurally, INEC cannot continue to announce results that are yet to be transmitted as expressly stated in the relevant Sections of the Electoral Act.
The integrity of this election has been compromised and vitiated by the admission of INEC officials that there was a technical glitch in the midst of the election which affected the effective functioning of the BVAS machines.Furthermore, the Integrity of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is at stake having regard to his multiple representation and assurances to Nigerians and the International Community that the Electoral Act 2022, is a game changer that will guarantee a free, fair and transparent electoral process especially as it relates to the direct transmission of election results from Polling Units at all elections
Information at our disposal indicates that INEC deliberately refused to commence the process of announcement of results more than 48 hours after the close of election and collation of results from the various Polling Units, which result by law was expected to be transmitted directly into INEC Server/Website as provided for under Section 68 of the Electoral Act 2022.
This deliberate delay and criminal connivance by INEC provided the opportunity for the reported compromise, alteration, falsification and switching of election results in favour of the APC in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Ondo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Ogun and other States where our candidate was in clear lead.
“We are aware that INEC embarked on extensive and illegal cancellation of election results in many States of the country. For instance, in Sokoto State over 200 Polling Units results where the PDP is in clear lead have also been canceled thereby disenfranchising over 200,000 registered voters
