The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Thursday, refuted allegations of discrepancies within the 2023 presidential election outcomes.
INEC refuted the allegations following claims by the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism that irregularities have been misreported through the collation course of.
The CCIJ had questioned the integrity of INEC’s introduced figures.
In a letter to the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, dated August 7, 2024, the CCIJ pointed to discrepancies between outcomes broadcast dwell through the collation and people later filed by electoral officers on INEC’s Result Viewing Portal.
According to the physique, INEC publicly reported cancellations in 1,578 polling models attributable to irregularities, affecting about 1,205,000 registered voters, whereas electoral officers’ experiences indicated cancellations in 2,203 models, overlaying over 1,221,000 million voters.
“Can you explain the differences between what INEC officials were saying publicly versus the records filed by polling unit workers?” the physique queried.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, dismissed the claims in response, asserting that the figures introduced by the fee on the National Collation Centre have been correct and reflective of official experiences.
Oyekanmi careworn that no discrepancies existed between the publicly introduced outcomes and people filed by polling officers.
“First, the fee doesn’t announce election outcomes on YouTube. The 2023 presidential election outcomes have been introduced on the National Collation Centre, Abuja, within the presence of stakeholders, together with the media.
“Secondly, there aren’t any discrepancies both within the variety of registered voters or the presidential election outcomes introduced by the fee.
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“Thirdly, our comprehensive 468-page report of the 2023 general election, containing the answers and clarifications to your questions, was officially released in March this year and immediately uploaded to our website www.inecnigeria.org,” he said.
He additional emphasised that the collation course of adhered strictly to established protocols, with returning officers required to report whole legitimate votes, rejected votes, and cancelled votes, alongside causes for any cancellations.
Oyekanmi added that get together brokers got alternatives to boost objections through the bulletins, however none did so.
“You listed three YouTube video hyperlinks from Channels Television, exhibiting the interactions between the State Returning Officers of Imo, Abia, and Zamfara states and the INEC Chairman on the National Collation Centre, Abuja.
“It is necessary to notice that the Returning Officers of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory are required to current their presidential election outcomes individually to the Chief Returning Officer of the Federation for the presidential election, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who can be the INEC Chairman.
“But opposite to your observations, there have been no contradictions within the video clips. In conformity with the established process, the Returning Officer, in every clip, introduced, in descending order, the entire legitimate votes, rejected votes, whole votes solid, cancelled votes (if any), the precise areas the place such votes have been cancelled, and the place the election didn’t maintain with causes.
“Party agents were subsequently allowed to make observations or raise objections after each announcement, but there was none in all the video clips,” he defined.
The CPS additionally famous that INEC was ready to supply additional clarification however highlighted the absence of particular info in CCIJ’s question, such because the exact polling models or wards in query.
“The presidential election was carried out in 176,606 Polling Units, unfold throughout 8,809 wards in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Supplementary elections have been additionally held in 23 states on April 16, 2023 for varied causes captured underneath Chapter 11 of the Report of the 2023 General Election.
“To that extent, we have to know the state, native authorities space, eard and particular polling unit being referred to for correct analysis of your enquiries and to allow us to supply the required info. Unfortunately, the exact info mandatory to handle your enquiries was lacking.
“There are no ‘differences’ in the number of polling units and registered voters in the listed states. The total number of polling units and registered voters remains as announced by the commission,” he famous.
He urged the group to produce these particulars for a radical evaluation.
“The results of an election could also be cancelled for particular causes, together with violence, over-voting, and refusal to make use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, as stipulated within the extant legal guidelines.
“At the identical time, the situations for making a return when the results of an election is cancelled or declared null and void in particular polling models have additionally been defined within the Electoral Act 2023 and the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections (2022).
“You are invited to read the full details on our website, www.inecnigeria.org,” CPS said.
Oyekanmi added, “The outcomes of the 2023 presidential election introduced by our 36 State Returning Officers and the Returning Officer for the FCT on the National Collation Centre, Abuja, are official and genuine.
“The figures quoted in your letter purportedly from some local government areas in Imo State are inconsistent with the details/results presented publicly by the Imo State Returning Officer at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.”