Supreme Court Judgments: We Stand By Our Declarations — INEC

The Independent Nation Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday,
said that it still stands by its declarations for the 2019
elections despite the Supreme Court judgments that reversed some of
the election results declared by the Commission.

The Commission has recently come under severe criticism
following the reversal of the Imo State governorship election by
the apex Court.

INEC in the Imo governorship election had declared the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Emeka Ihedioha winner with
273,404 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate,
Hope Uzodinma who was returned by the Supreme as the authentic
winner was placed fourth with 96,458 votes by INEC.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC National Chairman, Mr.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, in a chat with The Nation stated that “once INEC
makes a declaration, it stands by it”.

According to him, “the law provides for any aggrieved party or
candidate to go to the Election Petitions Tribunal to contest a
declared election result. Once INEC makes a declaration, it stands
by it”.

Giving graphic detail of the conduct of the 2019 general
elections, Oyekanmi, observed that, “a total of 807 post-election
petitions were filed at the Tribunals after the 2019 general
elections. Out of these, 582 were dismissed, 183 were withdrawn by
the petitioners and 30 reruns were ordered.

“About 12 Certificates of Return have also been issued. When you
consider the fact that elections were conducted into 1,558
constituencies for the 2019 general elections, you will agree with
me that the overall elections have by far been credible, free and
fair”.

On the use of University Vice Chancellors as Returning Officers
for future elections, which has also been criticized, the
Commission disclosed that no decision has been reached whether to
review the use of certain categories of academic staff of Federal
Universities as Returning Officers.

It added that “while it is true that some of them made mistakes
as human beings during the 2019 General Elections, most of them
performed excellently”.

On the January 25 rerun elections INEC revealed that, “our
template for the conduct of elections has not changed since our
actions are guided by the extant laws.

“The voting and declaration procedures have not changed. For
instance, the Smart Card Readers will still be used and the
“People’s Result Sheet” will still be pasted at a conspicuous place
at the polling unit level where the rerun elections will take
place. The Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) will also be used and it is
fact compulsory. No PVC, no voting. Besides, the system of
simultaneous accreditation and voting will also apply”.

” There is no proliferation of INEC sensitive materials and
politicians do not have access to them. To be sure, our sensitive
materials have special security features. If any politician is
found with any sensitive material, it must be fake and such
politician will be arrested and prosecuted.”

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