The PDP Presidential Campaign is insisting on its stance that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, suspend the collation and declaration of the Presidential election result currently ongoing at the International Conference Centre, Abuja until all irregularities are attended to.
The spokesperson of the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala in a press statement said that INEC has completely departed from the provisions of the Electoral Act as amended, leading to a constitutional logjam “created by the protest pull out of the coalition of political parties which has now caused a situation of inclusive elections. Elections are only concluded when votes are cast, results are announced and winners returned”.
Bwala said “What is clear and undisputed to all at this stage is that INEC is refusing to address the observed problems and objections that have been widely expressed, shared and corroborated by the reports of major stakeholders in the country, former presidents and international observers. What is not clear is the intentions of the INEC chairman and INEC as a commission”.
He said the electoral act provides that all anomalies must be corrected before the final declaration of results, not the other way around noting that “INEC should desist from any interpretation that will mislead the political parties because pushing the review after the final declaration is tantamount to exercise in futility and planned attempt to sidestep section 65 and the very reason for its provision in the electoral act in the first place. This section was largely objected to by APC lawmakers and lawyers during the amendment process before it was eventually passed into law. So let’s be clear, the election is inconclusive and the INEC Chairman cannot proceed without the political parties being present to object or accept the results at the national collation exercise”.
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Daniel Bwala noted that the INEC chairman in law, fairness, transparency, equity and good conscience should “Suspend national collation immediately and address the complaints raised by the parties relating to the BVAS bypass and electronic transmission of results. Set a date for the conduct of elections in the affected places and ensure results are uploaded as contained in the guidelines. The said elections must be free and fair and BVAS used accordingly.
“Cancel all the collated and announced results so far until such a time when all the results collated at the polling units alone be uploaded to the INEC server.
“Declare this election inconclusive and set a date for the conduct of elections that address areas where BVAS was not used and where violence occurred which suppressed the voting rights of the people,” Bwala said.
He called on the INEC Chairman to address the Nigerian public in a televised speech on the sanctity of the process and integrity of his person to regain the confidence of the Nigerian people and the international community.
Bwala called on the electoral umpire to rekindle in Nigerians the confidence of the process thereby ensuring that the legitimacy of the results is never sacrificed on the altar of convenience and speed. This election is pivotal to the national security of the country.
Emmanuel Ukoh
