2023 Presidential Polls: Why Tinubu Was Declared Winner at 2 AM – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally shed light on its decision to announce the 2023 presidential election results in the early hours of March 1, 2023. President Bola Tinubu, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner at approximately 2 a.m., sparking public criticism over the timing.

Tinubu secured 8,794,726 votes, defeating key opponents Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Amid growing questions on why the announcement occurred at such an unusual time, Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, explained that the process was delayed due to the extensive nature of vote collation. He pointed out that the country, during presidential elections, is treated as a single constituency, requiring INEC to wait for results from all polling units, wards, local governments, and states before making any declarations.

“The Chairman had to wait for 36 returning officers from all states, including distant places like Sokoto and Maiduguri. There is no provision in the Constitution or Electoral Act dictating when results must be announced,” Oyekanmi said, addressing the controversy.

He also stressed that the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, is obligated to personally review the reports from each state’s returning officer, even sending them back if discrepancies arise. “Only after ensuring all reports are accurate can the results be announced,” he added.

Oyekanmi referenced a similar instance in 2015 when Professor Attahiru Jega, the then-INEC Chairman, declared the results around 4 a.m., further noting that no law requires the timing to fall within standard working hours.