Edo Decides: INEC Violated Electoral Act – Fintiri, Says REC Has No Business with Collation

The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party Campaign Council and the governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri at a press conference early Sunday morning to register their displeasure over perceived irregularities in the collation of the results of Saturdays gubernatorial election in Edo State, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of violating the Electoral Act.

Governor Fintiri, who had reeled out results of the election from some local government areas at the press conference was asked if he was not aware that his action violated the provision of the Electoral Act as it was not in his place to announce results, insisted that INEC, not him should be so accused, stressing that the Resident Electoral Commissioner had no powers to collate results but to ensure a free and fair election.

According to the governor, “I did not announce results. I am quite aware of the Electoral Act provision, and I did not announce results. I only informed the public of the exact figures from our collation agents that was ongoing before INEC disrupted the process and they moved the collation to the INEC headquarters which is as well contrary to the Electoral Act provision. So, INEC should be accused of violating the Electoral Act, not me because I have not announced any result. I only released figures that were ongoing as at the collation time that INEC stopped collation at these centres”.

Asked about the next line of action by the PDP since INEC was proceeding with the collation and announcement of the results, Governor Fintiri said, “It’s quite unfortunate that in the 21st century that all countries are moving forward with their electoral process, we are still moving backward. Powers that were not given to individuals were being exercised arbitrarily. REC is not supposed to collate results. He’s supposed to conduct the election and oversee that the process is fair and free. Even at the local government and the ward collation, he’s not a collation officer. Officers were designated to collate these results as provided by our Electoral Act”.

On whether the party would boycott the exercise, he said “Like we stated in our press release, our agents were prevented from even entering the centre of the collation when they moved the local government collation to the INEC headquarters. So, we don’t know if they would also allow our agents today. It has become clear now that we don’t even have the powers to send our agents into the INEC collation centres because even if they do, they can be prevented from going in there”.

Asked if the party would insist on a review, Governor said “all we are asking from INEC is to follow their rules. REC has no business to announce results; REC has no business to move collation to INEC headquarters. This is our stand, and we would go back and consult”.

The governorship candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo, however stated that “if our agents are allowed in, our agents are already at the premises, and they are ready to go in. So, if they are not prevented like they were prevented yesterday. But from our perspective, the way this elections are going, it’s probably going to be the worst in the history of this country. We have information for instance where we have over 20 polling units from the results that were announced yesterday, where the accredited voters are less than the total votes which is not possible… There is something definitely going wrong; there is a result-writing scheme going on and it is totally unacceptable. This process is not acceptable; and then they are trying to disenfranchise our collation agents…. This is not acceptable, in the 21st century. Definitely not in Nigeria. I think we’ve gone way past this.”

He said there were areas where total number of accredited voters were less than total votes cast which he said was not possible, citing the case of Ologbo in Ikpoba-Okha local government area”.