Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday, received the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections, with an assurance that the commission “will deal with all remedial issues”.
Yakubu, who was represented by Festus Okoye, national commissioner in charge of voter education, also said that the commission “has no allegiance to any political party”.
There was a mild drama, as INEC had initially refused to collect the petition, a situation that led to the delay of the PDP team led by Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, who insisted that they would not leave until INEC collected the petition.
But speaking after receiving the petition, Okoye said, “So I have received this protest letter on behalf of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and I promise you this letter will be transmitted to him. If there are remedial issues, we will deal with those remedial issues.”
Okoye, who said that INEC was a listening body, added: “This commission is a public trust and belongs to the Nigerian people.
“Our allegiance is to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This commission does not owe allegiance to any political party.”
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The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the petition submitted to INEC, noted that “after a 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 is expedient to communicate to you and other critical stakeholders and partners in the advancement of democracy in Nigeria, the position of our great party with regard to the conduct and outcome of that election.”
The party described it as “disheartening that the election which raised the hopes of all Nigerians to witness 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 rumours and mere allegations. Today Nigerians have all seen that those allegations were true.”
The party stated that the INEC chairman had assured Nigerians that the electoral body would conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election, under his leadership
“You also promised the use of the Bimodal Verification and Accreditation System (BVAS) technology in voter accreditation and result management whereby the public would have unhindered access to the results uploaded to your servers online and in real time (iREV). Contrary to this belief there was an abysmal failure on your part to honour your promises”
The letter submitted by Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the PDP, added that the “conduct and outcome of the presidential and national assembly elections fell below acceptable standards.
The petition in its five-point demands, stated that it “rejects and declares as unacceptable the outcome, announcement and declaration of the Presidential election results.
The party also called on INEC “to suspend the on-going transmission of polling units results to your servers which is in complete breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
“To warn your commission against a repeat of the experiences of the February 25, election in the coming governorship and state assembly elections of March 11, 2023, adding that “any attempt to manipulate the electoral process will be vehemently resisted.
“To call on all Nigerians to be co-partners in the defence of our democracy, votes, the rule of law and their rights to freely choose the candidates of their choice.
“To demand an explanation why you proceeded with the declaration of the election results marred with irregularities against all calls to address the complaints brought to your attention before and during the collation process.”
According to Ayu, “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 repose in you and your commission has been battered and eroded 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 opposition party said in the letter.
