'Put that mumu man in jail' - Attacks as INEC says electronic collation of results is not mandatory

For the first time, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to allegations that it failed to obey the Electoral Act 2022 and also failed to follow its own recommendations on the mode of collation of results in the recent presidential election.

It is an indication of the legal position it plans to take in its defense before the Presidential Election Tribunal.

INEC's stance was in response to the Action Peoples Party's (APP) petition before the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) in Abuja.

The APP is contesting the presidential election results and the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, as president-elect on the grounds of alleged substantial non-compliance with Nigerian electoral laws and INEC rules.

However, in response to the complaint filed by the APP, INEC through one of its lawyers, Abubakar Mahmoud, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), argued that the votes on February 25 were free and fair.

“The election was free, fair, credible and in compliance with the constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022 and other relevant laws and guidelines,” it stated in one of the documents before the tribunal. The APP had alleged that INEC breached its own laws and guidelines."

However, citing paragraphs 50 to 55 of the norms and procedures for the conduct of the 2023 presidential election, INEC rejected the party's assertion that results will be collated electronically.

It further denied that its officials manipulated results to favor a particular political party's candidate or that there was excessive voting.

The INEC's response did not sit well with many people as they stated that, that was not what INEC initially agreed to do.

Read comments here:

lone_wolfe1: "INEC is competing with chameleon"

blessingchinwe2894: "The way this man will die like chicken ehn... for the pain he has caused the entire nation"

muchalibre_cante: "The fact still remains that you can never fight the government and win, Many hardworking citizens have moved on, but those who are patiently waiting for the government to change their lives are still sitting down and waiting for a Miracle .."

chiekwenaibekam: "What is the need for the electronics materials used, Una for talk na manual from the first day"

anagarador: "That means you lied to us"

chiboyz10: "I hope you know this is not your company but a full country… stop this Nonsense INEC"

benjotunba1: "I can't believe this. In the 21st century."

nelobae30: "If INEC chairman can say this after saying otherwise on National TV before election and he is moving freely without being behind bars. This will further showcase the point that corruption is indeed at the core of our government. You can claim something and do something else that is forgery for simpletons"

GA: