Atedo Peterside, President & Founder of Anap Foundation, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to honor its commitment to upload all Polling Unit Level Results from the February 25, 2023 Presidential Elections onto the IREV platform, which serves as a results viewing portal.
Peterside, who is also the Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, took to the X platform to express his concerns, stating, “It is not too late in the day for @inecnigeria (an impartial umpire) to honor its pledge to upload ALL Polling Unit Level Results from the 25 February, 2023 Presidential Elections unto IREV, which is supposed to be a results viewing portal. #AllEyesOnTheJudiciary”
Before the presidential election, Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of INEC, had assured the public of the commission’s commitment to real-time uploading of polling unit-level results on election day. He stated, “This technology has come to stay… I want to assure you that the 2023 general election is going to be our best ever elections. We are committed, and the votes cast by Nigerians will determine the winners of the election, and nothing more.”
Peterside’s call for INEC to fulfill its promise has garnered mixed reactions from the public. Some Nigerians expressed skepticism about the electoral process, while others praised Peterside for advocating for transparency and accountability.
Jude (@jude_ukaigwe) wrote, “INEC is not fit to conduct elections in Nigeria anymore.”
Akin Akangbe (@AkinAkangbe) commended Peterside’s advocacy and said, “Few Nigerians are like Mr. Atedo Peterside, rich yet fighting for the weak and poor, educated and comfortable, yet making the ordinary citizen’s challenges a cause and mission to be accomplished.”
Anthony Asher (@asherforchrist) commented, “We are patiently waiting for the Supreme Court to affirm the suspension of the constitution, then we know Nigeria no longer exists.”
OKARIA (@OKARIAUKE) expressed doubt about the election’s legitimacy, saying, “What happened is not an election, but all the federal institutions are now part of APC [All Progressives Congress], even respected people would come to the TV to defend the nonsense.”
Uyi Joseph (@UyiJoseph5) emphasized the importance of an independent judiciary and INEC for the success of democracy, stating, “The future and success of our democracy lie in the hands of the judiciary and INEC. If we must experience and enjoy true democracy as a nation, both parties must decide to be truly independent. Our problem is not the politicians.”
FranklinU (@FranklinU1) speculated that INEC might be waiting for legal processes to conclude before uploading the results, saying, “They’re probably waiting until the court processes have been exhausted, and opposition parties have no other avenue to legally challenge the declared ‘results.'”
As debates on the integrity of electoral processes continue, INEC’s commitment to transparency and adherence to its promises remain subjects of public scrutiny.
