A group of election observers, who monitored the recent governorship election in Edo State, has submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accusing officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of misconduct.
The observers, mainly lawyers under the Tap Initiative, specifically called for the arrest and prosecution of senior INEC officials, alleging that they printed duplicate election result sheets (EC8A) and recorded different results for the election.
Speaking to journalists on behalf of the groups at the ICPC headquarters shortly after submitting the petition on Tuesday, Tap Initiative’s Executive Director, Martin Obono, stated that INEC’s conduct had reached a level where it should be reported to international bodies such as USAID and the European Union.
He argued that it was high time for all the donors mentioned above to see how they misused millions of dollars allocated to them by printing two result sheets, which he said undermined the will of the electorate.
Obono said, “On election day, we accessed results from the INEC Result Viewer, which houses election results uploaded directly from polling units across the state. The results obtained from the IReV portal corresponded with those collected by election observers at the polling units, bearing the signatures of Polling Unit Agents and Presiding Officers.
“However, after voting concluded, INEC announced results that differed from the original data obtained from the IReV. A comparison between the result sheets from IReV and the Certified True Copies issued by INEC revealed discrepancies: although the serial numbers, polling units, and wards matched, the results differed. In some cases, the number of registered voters was altered, and the signatures of the Presiding Officers were forged, with the signatures of Polling Unit Agents either absent or also forged.
“We want the ICPC to investigate and prosecute these electoral offenders because this is a crime. Forgery is a crime. You do not forge and falsify results and change the will of the people and expect that we will keep quiet as Nigerians”.
Displaying the names of all ad hoc staff of the commission who served as Presiding Officers during the exercise to journalists, Obono also called on the INEC to invite them to show differences in their signatures and respond to other issues raised.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, faulted the petitioners for singling out the commission for the alleged irregularities that marred the election.
He noted that the outcome of the election was being challenged at the tribunal, adding that responding to the allegations would be sub judice.
Oyekanmi said,” I am not privy to the alleged petition and, therefore, not in a position to comment on it.
“However, from the little snippets reported by the media, a group has alleged that “the recent Edo State governorship elections were marred by significant irregularities, some of which were perpetrated by all political parties without exception”. Yet, it singled out the Commission as the target of its alleged petition.
“At the moment, the Commission is functus officio on the matter. I am aware that the outcome of the Edo State Governorship election has been challenged in court by those who have the locus to do so. Therefore, I cannot comment on a matter that is subjudice”.
