NIGERIA’s main opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a number of opposition political parties Monday afternoon threatened to reject results of the presidential election being declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the National Collation Centre in Abuja for failure to comply with not only the Electoral Act but also in accordance with the handbook on electoral guidelines provided by INEC.
There was mild drama when Monday afternoon at the International Conference centre (ICC) in Abuja at the resumption of the declaration of results when PDP’s agent and the agents of other political parties, including those of ADC and PRP at the national collation centre in Abuja, raised concerns about the presidential election result from Ekiti and Kwara states.
Senator Melaye, the PDP agent and the other agents argued that the failure of INEC to promptly upload results of the election from polling units into the result portal of the INEC as stipulated in the Electoral Act and as indicated on electoral guideline handbook renders the results being declared by the INEC Chairman highly questionable.
Melaye noted that apart from the Electoral Act and the handbook, INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of publicity, Barr Festus Okoye, as well as the INEC Chairman had consistently assured that election results were going to be transmitted real-time from polling units.
Melaye demanded in line with the relevant electoral law and guideline, returning officers in the presidential election declare beforehand whether the results were duly uploaded unto INEC’s result portal or not.
This demand and the non-compliance resulted in a hot exchange between the INEC chairman and Senator Melaye, but the INEC boss prevailed, insisting that returning officers declare the results and that issues arising therefrom would be resolved later.
Addressing the press on behalf of the PDP and the other parties when the collation centre closed for a recess, Melaye, on behalf of the other party agents said they will raise the matter when the collation centre resumes an hour later.
Details later…
