Following the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload the results on its server as ordered by section 60 subsection 5 of the electoral act, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State has rejected the results of the presidential election released by the Commission on Monday.
Addressing Journalists after the collation, the PDP agent for the presidential election in the state, Hon. Sani Mohammed Kutigi blamed the INEC for the non-usage of the BVAS machines in four local government areas in the state.
It should be noted that the INEC had declared the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu winner of the election in the state.
Kutigi said the rejection was due to INEC’s refusal to upload the results on its server as ordered by section 60 subsection 5 of the electoral act.
The PDP had raised concerns about disruption of the election in Mariga local government by bandits yet the electoral body went ahead to announce results from the area.
Kutigi also alleged that reports from other four LGAs in the state which include Kontagora, Rijau, Mashegu, and Kontagora revealed that elections were conducted in compliance with the electoral act.
According to him, “all these observations and objections were presented to the INEC, but it refused to investigate or act on our petitions”.
Hence, the Niger PDP Collation Agent refused to sign the results sheet until their petitions and observation are attended to.
In his response to the complaint, the state returning officer, Prof Clement Allawa explained that he has no power to upload election results into the INEC server, charging the PDP agent to direct his petitions to appropriate quarters for action.
Accordingly, Alawa said, “the Commission encountered technical challenges with BVAS machines, and the problem was beyond the control of INEC”.
