The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated its stance on the potential of canceling Nigeria’s presidential election in 2023.
INEC stated in its declaration that the alleged breaches made by some stakeholders are not sufficient grounds to cancel the February 25 election.
The electoral umpire stated its position on the outcome of the election on Tuesday as part of its answer to petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
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In his petition, Atiku argued that the results of the February 25 presidential election had put the country’s entire judicial system on trial, adding that there is “empirical evidence” of how the presidential election results were manipulated in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
But, INEC, through its counsel, Abubakar Mahmood, ruled that the supposed problems surrounding the final result declaration, as claimed by the PDP and Atiku, were insufficient to invalidate the entire process.
The electoral commission further denied operating in favor of any party or candidate, claiming that the presidential election was conducted in substantial accordance with the Electoral Act of 2022 and INEC’s Rules and Guidelines for Elections Conduct for 2022.
According to INEC “No act of non-compliance (if any) was substantial enough to have affected the outcome of the election or result declared.”
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INEC added that, “The summation of the result declared is consistent with the number of duly accredited voters. There was no act of infraction, as alleged by the petitioners, that is substantial enough to nullify the election.”
INEC told the tribunal that, contrary to the petitioners’ arguments, the presidential election in 2023 was free, fair, and credible.
It went on to say that technical gadgets including the Permanent Voter Card (PVC), Electronic Voter Registration (EVR), and (BVAS) were used to improve the ease, trustworthiness, transparency, and integrity of the election process. The BVAS machine, on the other hand, “was not designed for real-time transmission of election results for the purpose of collation.”
The commission stated that the public statements attributed to its chairman and other officials in paragraph 19 of the petition were statements assuring the public of the commission’s commitment and determination to continue using technology and technological devices to improve the quality, transparency, integrity and credibility of the electoral process as provided under the Electoral Act 2022.
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It stated, “Contrary to the assertion of the petitioners in paragraph 19 of the Petition, the 1st Respondent has no electronic collation system by which real-time transmission of polling unit results was to be made or that such alleged electronic transmission of polling unit results was to form the basis for the collation of results at various collation levels.
“The 1st Respondent further states that although it is empowered by the Regulations to prescribe an ‘Electronic Collation System’, none was prescribed by it for use during the 2023 general election, including the presidential election of 25 February 2023.”
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