•As Atiku, Ayu, Tambuwal , Ishaku, others storm INEC in protest
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has assured that all the remedial issues concerning the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections will be addressed.
An INEC national commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, who gave the assurance yesterday, specifically pointed out that INEC is for the Nigeria people, stressing that the Commission’s allegiance is for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not to any political party or candidate.
The INEC National Commissioner gave the assurance after receiving a protest letter from the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, l Dr. Iyorchia Ayu at its headquarters in Abuja in respect of the conduct of the last presidential election, which the party is seriously complaining about its outcome.
The national leadership of the PDP, led by its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, National Chairman, Dr Ayu, Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto State) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba state) and others, had staged a protest to the INEC headquarters yesterday morning to register their protest over the outcome of the last presidential candidate, faulting the announcement of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as President -elect.
Okoye, who was accompanied by two other National Commissioners-Prof May Agbamuche-Mbu and Mr Mohammed Haruna-to receive the protest letter from the PDP chieftains, insisted that all remedial issues will be dealt with.
According to him, “”I have received this letter on behalf of the commission, if there are remedial issues to be dealt with, we are going to deal with those remedial issues.
“This commission is for the Nigeria people. Our allegiance is for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This commission does not have allegiance to any political party or candidate, our allegiance is to the federal republic of Nigeria”, he stated.
Other PDP leaders at the protest included: former National Chairman of the party, Prince Unche Secondus, former Adamawa State Governor, Boni Haruna, former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Daniel Bwacha and Senator Dino Melaye, among others.
In their protest letter, signed by Ayu and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, which was submitted to INEC, the PDP said, “The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , after long sessions of meetings to review and deliberate on the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 25, 2023, considers it expedient to communicate to you and other critical stakeholders and partners in the advancement of democracy in Nigeria, the position of our great Party (PDP) with regard to the conduct and outcome of that election.
“It is indeed disheartening to say that the election which raised the hopes of all Nigerians to witness an advancement in our electoral process turned out to be a charade.
“You would recall the outcry of many concerned citizens of this country variously accusing your commission of complicity in a planned manipulation of the electoral process in favour of the ruling Party (APC).
“At each time the issues took the media front burner, you were quick in dispelling them as rumors and mere allegations. Today Nigerians have all seen that those allegations were true.
“In many meetings and briefings your commission held with the Political Parties and the Press ahead of the 2023 general elections, you assured Nigerians that INEC under your leadership would conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
“You also promised the use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) technology in voter accreditation and result management, whereby the public would have unhindered access to the results uploaded to your Server’s online and in real time (IRev). Contrary to this belief there was an abysmal failure on your part to honour your promises.
“Predictably, the conduct and outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections fell below acceptable standards. It has resonated the fears of all Nigerians in your integrity and that of your commission to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
“The confidence you deceitfully made us to repose in you and your commission has been battered and eroded away by the outcome of that election.
“The masses are angry and have not hidden their resentment and rejection of the purported declaration you made to that effect.
“Without any equivocation, this election, in the history of our country elicited so much interest, awareness, commitment and dexterity in Nigerians to exercise their civic responsibility.
“The major factors that heightened the zeal and confidence of Nigerians to participate in the electoral process were the failures of the ruling APC government, the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology ,the Electoral Act 2022 and your repeated assurances of bequeathing Nigerians a credible electoral process.
“Everyone recalls with disappointment the reported widespread irregularities and manipulations that marred the election.
“There are ample evidences to show deliberate complicity of your commission in the entire fraud.
The falsification of results and deliberate de-activation of the BVAS and your servers to frustrate the transmission of election results directly from the Polling Units attest to that. In all these issues brought to your attention you refused to act.
“Nigerians are no more in doubt of your direct involvement in aiding and abetting the monumental rigging and manipulation of the election results in favour of the ruling Party (APC).
“In addition, the refusal and neglect of your electoral officers to transmit the results of the election directly from the Polling Units (PU) to INEC Servers as required by law is a flagrant violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. “This action is not acceptable to Nigerians and neither to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It therefore stands to be challenged”, it said.
The PDP cited section 64 (4) (b) of the Electoral Act 2022 , which specifically provides thus: “A collation officer or Returning Officer at an election shall collate and announce the result of an election subject to his or her verification and confirmation that the (b) “Votes stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the votes or results recorded and transmitted directly from Polling Units under Section 60 (4) of this Act.
“Consequent upon the above Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act 2022, the result you have announced and the declarations made are ultra vires, illegal and of no effect except for results transmitted directly from the Polling Units”, it submitted.
