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Northern Group Says Those Calling For Cancellation Of Election Are Enemies Of The Country

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Abdulsalam Mohammed Kazeem - The Concerned Northern Forum

By Akinwale Kasali

A Group under the auspices of Concerned Northern Forum, CNF, has labeled those calling for the cancellation of the February 25th, 2023, Presidential Election  “Enemies of the Country.”

The Group stated that it was ridiculous and uncalled for that a free, fair and credible election, applauded by the International Observers will be rejected by some few individuals.

It added that  no election all over the world is perfect.

Addressing a Press Conference at the Arewa House, Kaduna on Friday, CNF Spokesperson, Abdulsalam Kazeem, also knocked former President Olusegun Obasanjo for calling for the cancellation of the poll.

While congratulating the APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, the spokesperson, noted that those calling for the cancellation of the poll were not only mischievous but “enemies” of democracy.

He added that the fact that the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, who is a Northerner contested and lost, “does not mean we should join and discredit the elections.”

He said, “Without wasting your precious time, we want to make our position known over the just concluded 2023 presidential elections and the announcement of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President-elect, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We want to, first of all, congratulate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his well-deserved victory. As northerners, we are pleased with his victory and without being selfish want to identify and work with him when he’s eventually sworn in on the 29th of May, 2023 Inshallah.

“The fact that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner contested with Bola Tinubu under the Peoples Democratic Party and lost does not mean we should join other undemocratic groups and networks in the country to condemn and discredit one of the most credible elections in the history of Nigeria.

“Those calling for the cancellation of this election are enemies of Nigeria and must not be given a listening ear. Calling for the cancellation of an election that has been conducted in the most peaceful and orderly manner across the country is simply mischievous and a call for the abortion of democracy.

“This election is the best Nigeria ever had and cannot be compared to the 1993 or even 1999 elections. Even in developed democracies, elections are never completely without challenges.

“The American elections of 2015 that produced President Donald Trump were rumoured to be tempered with by the Russians. It was so widespread but that didn’t lead to the cancellation of the result.

“The elections conducted by President Olusegun Obasanjo that produced Umaru Musa Yar’Adua were equally fraught with challenges but were not cancelled. In fact, Yar’Adua admitted the irregularities but rather worked towards electoral reforms.

“In the spirit of sportsmanship, those who have lost these elections and their supporters should reach out and congratulate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and pledge their loyalty to work with him for a better Nigeria. This is not the first time candidates will lose in an election.

“Instead of creating tensions and causing disaffection amongst Nigerians across tribal and political divides, we call on those who feel aggrieved to approach the law courts following the laid down procedures and lodge their case.

“To call for the cancellation of this election is to downplay the tireless efforts of the Commission and the resources expended so far to give Nigeria the best elections in Africa and the world at large.”

Atiku, Obi  In Court, Demand Inspection Of Election Materials

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Peter Obi and Atiku in Court

By Akinwale Kasali

Barely six days after the Presidential Election, the Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi have  approached the Court to seek permission for the inspection of election materials used during the Presidential poll of Saturday, February 25, 2023.

Both Atiku and Obi had rejected the results released by Electoral Umpire,  Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at separate World Press Conferences.

To walk their talk, both Candidates requested Presidential Election Court, PEC,  in Abuja to allow them  inspect materials used for the election.

Their request is contained in two ex-parte motions they filed at the PEC secretariat at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

Both motions, with the Independent National Electoral Commission and two others as respondents, have been listed for hearing on Friday (today).

Breaking: Supreme Court Nullifies CBN Naira Swap Policy

By
James Orji
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Godwin Emefiele

” The supreme court has given us all the relief sought in a unanimous judgement.

“The supreme court said all old naira notes must circulate with new naira notes,”Governor Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna state  said after the apex court ruling on Friday.

More details later….

Rivers: How Wike ‘Bulldozed’ Tinubu To Victory- APC

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Wike and Tinubu

Tony Okocha, Chairman of Local Organising Committee and Independent Campaign Council, ICC, of the APC, has disclosed that the party could not have won the February 25 presidential election without the help of Rivers state govrnor Nyesom Wike.

Before the election, Governor Wike and other four governors of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, known as G5 had declined to work for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Governor Wike, had also few days to the election directed his supporters to work for the APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has now declared Tinubu the winner of the election after defeating Atiku, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, to ome first in the keenly contested election.

Speaking on Tinubu’s victory, Okocha said Tinubu could not have secured the 25 percent of the vote cast in the state, one of the requirements for a presidential candidate to be declared winner.

He said, “We note seriously and unashamedly that in 2015 we held the rims of governance in Rivers State as members of the APC. We pulled together all efforts individually and collectively; yet, we couldn’t secure 25 percent of the total votes cast for the presidential candidate of our party during the presidential election.

“It was worse in 2019, when we all still working together with a super minister, security apparatchik and malleable election personnel, we couldn’t produce the required 25 percent for our presidential candidate.

“But, in 2023, against all expectations, APC Rivers won and secured over 40 per cent of the total votes cast for the presidential candidate of our party. Of tremendous note, is to put on records, the role of Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, a leading member of the G5 Governors ( Integrity group) who not only threw his heavy weight in political maestro in support of the APC candidate, but encouraged Rivers people to vote the man who will protect the Rivers interest as president of Nigeria. This to say the least, was the game changer. Thank you, Governor Wike. The political bulldozer.”

CBN Tenure Policy Claims Zenith Bank DMD

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Barely a week after the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, released new guidelines on the tenure of Managing Directors and Deputy Managing Directors of deposit money banks, DMB, the Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Adaora Umeoji, has resigned from her post.

Umeoji, the magazine learnt has spent the maximum 10 years as one of the Directors of the commercial bank, and based on the new guidelines released last week by the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, she can no longer stay in her position.

Her departure, therefore, has  put paid to speculations within the bank that she was being positioned to take over when the current Managing Director retires from Nigeria’s biggest bank.

Announcing her departure from the bank on Wednesday, through a filing with the Nigerian Exchange Limited NGX, the DMB said she has served as DMD since 2016.

Her retirement took effect from February 24, the commercial bank, also, disclosed to the NGX.

“This follows the expiration of her tenure of office as Deputy Managing Director in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) circular No.FPR/DIR/PUB/CIR/001/070 dated February 24, 2023,” Zenith Bank said.

Umeoji joined the bank in 1998 and was later appointed as the head, the marketing group, Maitama branch and the deputy zonal head, Abuja Zone.

She became a Board Member of Zenith Bank in October 2012, and thereafter took the role of Executive Director overseeing the Abuja and Middle Belt zones of the bank.

She graduated from the University of Jos in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, and later obtained a Master’s in Business Administration in 2003 from the University of Calabar.

On February 27, the CBN released a new guideline limiting the tenure of Bank’s Chief Executives and Directors to 12 years, maximum.

The circular signed by by Chibuzo Efobi, Dirctor Financial Policy and Regulation Department, and titled: “Re: Review of Tenure of Executive Management and Non-Executive Directors of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria,” said the tenure of Executive Directors (EDs), Deputy Managing Directors (DMDs) and Managing Directors (MDs), shall be in accordance with the terms of their engagement approved by the board of directors of banks, subject to a maximum tenure of 10 years.

Tinubu Responds To Obi, Says “You Won No Election; We Will Meet In Court”

By
The Source
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The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,  has countered the claims of Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, that he, Obi, won the Presidential election.

Obi had, in a Press Conference on Thursday, 2nd March, 2022, insisted that he won the Presidential election which was held on Saturday, 25th February, 2023, and would prove it, convincingly, in Court with verifiable video and audio evidences, and electoral breaches.

But in a response same day, Tinubu told Obi that he, Obi, won no election, could not have won any election, and that the two of them would meet in Court.

In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Director, Media & Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Tinubu described the election which produced him as President, as one of the most transparent and peaceful in Nigeria’s election history.

He said: “The 2023 election is one of the most transparent and peaceful elections in the history of Nigeria. It is because the process was credible that made it possible for Mr Obi’s Labour Party to record the over six million votes it got contrary to pre-election forecast.”

The full text of the statement reads:

“We watched with dismay today’s press conference addressed by the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi where he made very weird and wild claims about the outcome of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, an election in which he emerged  a second runner up, according to the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“We welcome the decision of Mr. Obi to seek redress in court as an aggrieved party if he is convinced of the evidences of electoral frauds he will present before the tribunal as alleged.

“Going to court is part of the electoral process and it is the most decent, statesmanlike and civilised course of action to take. We salute the decision. It is surely better than calling supporters to the streets and instigating social unrest.

“Before Mr. Obi goes to court, we consider it necessary to challenge some specific claims in his press address.

“Contrary to his statement, it is not true that the election held 25 February  was not free and fair.

“The 2023 election is one of the most transparent and peaceful elections in the history of Nigeria. It is because the process was credible that made it possible for Mr. Obi’s Labour Party to record the over six million votes it got contrary to pre-election forecast.

“That Labour Party and Mr. Obi surprised bookmakers by winning in Lagos State, Nasarawa, Plateau,  Delta and Edo where there are sitting governors of either  the All Progressives Congress or the Peoples Democratic Party. Those governors have entrenched political machinery. That Obi won  attests to the credibility of the election process. In those states, most of the sitting governors contested election to go to the Senate and lost to little known  candidates of Labour Party.

“The Labour Party also swept the entire five South East states under the control of either APGA, PDP or APC.

“We believe that the Labour Party Presidential Candidate contradicted  himself and exposed himself to public ridicule  by suggesting that the election was only credible in states and places his party won.

“We need us to forewarn Mr. Obi, that when he gets to court he should be prepared to tell the world how his party won over 90% of votes in his region of South East while other parties got almost nothing. We have evidence of voters suppression, intimidation and harassment in South East  especially of those who came out to vote for our party.

“Also when Mr. Obi gets to court, he will have to convince the court with his allegation of rigging in over 40,000 polling units across the country especially in North West and North East where his party had no party agents and did not  sign result sheets as required by law. It is our assumption that Labour Party will enlist  PDP agents to prove its fraud claims since it is an affiliate of PDP.

“We want to state again for the umpteenth time that Mr. Obi didn’t win the presidential election and could not have won under any circumstances. This is because he had no path to winning a national election in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society like Nigeria where a candidate running in a national election must appeal to the cross-section of our pluralistic society.

“Mr. Obi anchored his presidential campaign on the failed strategy of ethnicity and religion, the divisive and dangerous politics that has hobbled the progress of our country for decades.

“Nigerians simply rejected an ethnic and religious bigot through their ballots.

“Mr. Obi all through his campaign presented himself as the candidate of the Christians and the Church, who wanted to help ‘take back their country” from the Nigerian Muslims.

“His campaign also ran on the engine of ethnicity, inflaming strong Igbo sentiments. He also sought to cash in on the supposed youth discontent in Nigeria, as  fuelled by the ENDSARS protest in 2020.

“While Labour Party positioned its candidate as the harvester  of the youth votes, its planners forgot that Nigeria does not have a homogeneous and monolithic youth population that can deliver bloc vote to any candidate.

“All the major parties that contested the election also have strong youth appeal and supporters.

“The lesson in Mr. Obi’s defeat in the election is that no politician in Nigeria can win a presidential race by being a sectional and an anointed candidate of any religion.

“God created our country in a way to make it impossible for any part of the country to exist without the other. The framers of our constitution also worked to bind our country together with provisions that will make it impossible for a section of the country and any religion to have political domination over the other.

“What this means is that any aspiring politician for the presidency of Nigeria must have a Pan Nigeria appeal and strong support and must be embraced by adherents of other religions.

“Mr. Obi and his party knew why they failed. They knew they had no  path to victory with their negative and dangerous campaign.

“We owe Labour Party and Peter Obi the blunt truth: They failed in the election. No amount of red-herring and misinformation about the election and the outcome can  obliterate this reality.

“The President-Elect who was the candidate of our party won a Pan Nigeria  mandate in a free, fair and credible election.

“He is ready and prepared to assume office so he can serve the people of our country with sincerity and honour.”

Group Urges Gov. Soludo, INEC Chairman, to Release Ogbaru Federal Constituency Election Result

By
The Source
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A socio-political group, the League of Ogbaru Professionals (LOP), has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, to order the immediate release of result of the House of Representatives election in the area.

“It is shocking that while results for the presidential election held all over the nation has been collated and a winner declared, that of Ogbaru Federal Constituency held on the same day, and time, still hangs in the balance,” the group said in a statement signed by it’s chairman, Dr. Innocent Ezekude.

Collation of results of the Ogbaru House of Representatives election was progressing smoothly, until the wee hours of Tuesday, February 28, 2023 when, allegedly, at Governor Soludo’s behest, the team was directed to take every document concerning the election to Awka, the Anambra State capital.

“We gathered that before the directive came, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Arinzechukwu Awogu, was trailing the Labour Party flag bearer, Hon. Afam Ogene, with 9,125 votes to 10, 339 votes garnered by the latter.

“Our findings further show that by 9 am on the same Tuesday, February 28, 2023 the quartet of Political Adviser to Governor Soludo, Mr. Alex Obiogbolu, Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu, Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Collins Nwabunwanne and Sly Ezeokenwa, Commissioner in charge of Special Duties, swooped on the INEC headquarters in Awka and remained there till well past 6 pm.

“Besides being close associates of Governor Soludo, Obiogbolu was overheard boasting gleefully that ‘Ogbaru would soon fall to APGA’.

“Although many contend that Governor Soludo may not be directly involved in the scheme, political watchers say his officials may have embarked on the expedition purely for percuniary gains.

“As indigenes of Ogbaru, we cannot stand aloof and watch persons who lost the same elections in their various federal constituencies come to toy with the destiny of Ogbaru people.

“Even the unofficial line by INEC, to the effect that make-up election needs to be held in areas where it’s personnel could not deploy materials makes little or no sense, especially as such make-up elections have been held in several places, including Abia North Senatorial Zone, and results declared.

“In fact, from the grapevine, the story from the electoral umpire keeps oscillating, from an initial 19 units to 33, then 45, and lately 51 polling units where fresh elections are to be held in Ogbaru.

“Regrettably, in the haste to do the master’s bidding, even places where elections have been held, and polling unit, ward and local government collation done and copies collected by agents of different political parties, are inexplicably added to the growing list of places earmarked for new polls.

“It is, indeed, heart wrenching that six days after the conduct of elections in Ogbaru Federal Constituency, no one in INEC has deemed it right to speak to the people, leaving huge tension to hover all over the landscape.

“Conscious of the prevailing security challenges in the area, we call on Governor Soludo to rein in his men, who actually may have been dropping his name, and the National Chairman of INEC, Professor Yakubu, to ensure that the right thing is done,” the League of Ogbaru Professionals said.

The Lamentations Of Atiku Abubakar

By
The Source
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0
Atiku Abubakar

By Gideon Njoku

A very sad and devastated Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has lamented his loss at the Presidential Election held on Saturday, 25th February, 2023.

Even though he won the same number of States as the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he lost based on the number  of votes cast for the eventual winner. Both three frontrunners – Tinubu, Atiku and Peter Obi won twelve States each. Obi is also claiming victory, and is heading to the Courts with a mountain of alleged evidences and proofs.

In an address to Nigerians at a Press Conference he held in Abuja, Atiku reeled out his struggles for a better  Nigeria, and lamented his woes therefrom. They include an attempt to assassinate him and his son, Adamu, during the regime of Late General Sani Abacha, his forced self-exile and the loss of his businesses. He also recalled how, in order to uphold the Constitution and deepen democracy, he stopped former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose Deputy he was, from getting an unconstitutional third term in office.

But he has not been paid back in same coin though. All his efforts to become the President of the country he said he had sacrificed so much for, has been in vain.

Four times he has tried, and four times he has failed. But none has been as painful to him as the 2023 election. And he is not taking it lightly.

He promises a legal battle as never seen before. He said he was robbed. He said his mandate was stolen. He said the election is the worst ever conducted in the history of Nigeria. But a consolation: The Courts.

Atiku has told Nigerians to keep calm, to keep the faith, that their voices will be heard. Following is the full text of his statement.

Your Voices Will Be Heard

“Fellow Nigerians, it is with a heart full of sadness that I address you today.

“I have in the last three decades devoted my life to the battle to birth and deepen democracy in our country.

“It was a battle that started during the military era. It was a struggle that nearly caused me my life and that of my son, Adamu, in Kaduna. I survived the assassination only by the mercies and grace of God.

“Following that attack, I was forced into exile. But that attack claimed the precious lives of some police officers. That was not all: my businesses were nearly crippled and my signature business was eventually appropriated by the maximum ruler of that era.

“My commitment to enthroning democracy ensured that I joined forces with other compatriots. As a leader of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), we fought and won the 1993 presidential election, which was acclaimed as the fairest and freest election in our history. Sadly, Chief MKO Abiola, who embodied that hope for the birth of a new Nigeria, paid the ultimate price

“Our fight to enthrone democracy continued. Indeed, the motivating factor for the birth of the Peoples Democratic Party was to force the exit of the military from government and their permanent return to the military barracks.

“Following the exit of the military and the advent of democratic rule  in 1999, I did not rest on my oars. I deployed the same level of commitment to advance and deepen our democracy. I did this because our democracy was bought at a huge price of human lives. My mentor and true Nigerian hero, who this venue in which we are gathered this evening is named for, was one of those who paid the ultimate price in that battle. So, also were Chief Alfred Rewane, Chief MKO Abiola and his dear wife, Chief (Mrs) Kudirat Abiola.

“It was also for this reason that I sacrificed my political aspiration and fought against the actualisation of Third Term. Whether during the military or civilian era, I have, no matter how inconvenient, pitched my tent with the people against dictators. During the military regime, it nearly cost me my life and the near decimation of my businesses. In the civilian administration, it had serious adverse implications on my political life. But I have remained undaunted because I was, and still convinced, that the only reason why I am in politics is to work in tandem with other compatriots in the advancement of the wellbeing of the people.

“The 2023 presidential election presented our nation and its people the greatest opportunity for a reset. We had everything going for us: a legal framework in the 2022 Electoral Act and the BVAS technology. The enthusiasm of Nigerians to turn out and in large numbers was an added bonus.

“However, the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians who braced all the challenges to go and cast their votes on Saturday, 25th of February, 2023, were shattered by the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which failed to live up to expectations. The weekend election was neither free nor fair.

“Preliminary assessments indicate that it is the worst conducted elections since the return to democratic rule. The manipulation and fraud that attended this election were unprecedented in the history of our nation. I can still not understand why the electoral umpire was in such a hurry to conclude collation and announcement of the result, given the number of complaints of irregularities of bypassing of the BVAS, failure of uploading to the IREV, and unprecedented cancellations and disenfranchisement of millions of voters in breach of the Electoral Act and the commission’s own guidelines. It was indeed a rape of democracy.

“Having consulted with leaders of our party and Nigerians from different walks of life, I have come to the conclusion that the processes and outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly election of last Saturday was grossly flawed in every material particular, and as such must be challenged. This has been attested to by both local and international observers.

“I want to believe that this was not the legacy that President Muhammadu Buhari had promised. For President Buhari, it is not too late to make amends for the good of our country and the future generations and indeed to assure his legacy.

“This battle to right the wrongs of Saturday is not about me. It is a continuation of my battles to deepen democracy and for a better life for our people. It is about the future of Nigerian youths.

“I know that Nigerians, especially the youth, are traumatised by the developments, but I want to urge them to conduct themselves peacefully. Like I have done over the years, I assure you that I will commit the rest of my life in ensuring that true democracy,  which affirms the supremacy of your votes and your will, will take firm footing and guarantee a stable, prosperous and peaceful Nigeria. This is more so as Nigeria represents the hope of Africa and the Black World.

“It is my hope that the judiciary will redeem itself this time around and rise to the society’s expectation as the last HOPE. In the end, who wins is not as important as the credibility of our elections and electoral processes.

“I call on all men and women of goodwill to join hands with us in the vanguard to defend our constitution from the brigandage of anti democratic forces.

“Finally I urge Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute. You have the constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom to choose your leaders. We will not sit idly by and watch your rights taken from you.

“Your voices will be heard.

“May God bless you, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Abubakar, GCON

Waziri Adamawa,

Vice President of Nigeria (1999 – 2007) is the

2023 PDP Presidential Candidate

NJC Recalls Judge After 16 Years Suspension

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
National Judicial Council - NJC

By Ayodele Oni

After seeking for justice for 16 years, Justice Babajide  Aladejana a Judge in Ekiti state judiciary, has been reinstated to office.

Justice Aladejana was suspended in 2006 along with the then state Chief Judge, Kayode Bamisile for their roles in the impeachment saga of former Governor Ayo Fayose by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

During the period of his suspension, Justice Aladejana served the state in other capacities as chairman, state electoral commission and chieftaincy review panels.

Justice Aladejana officially resumed work on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti at High Court number two.

It was gathered that this followed the review of his case and subsequent lift of his suspension  by the NJC.

He was subsequently allocated High Court number two where he will be hearing cases and performing other judicial functions.

Why Declaration Of Tinubu As President Elect Cannot Stand –  PDP

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that the declaration of Bola Tinubu candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) as President elect will not stand the test of time.

The party maintained that it rejected the declaration and return of APC Presidential Candidate as President-Elect

National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP demanded that INEC immediately should withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the Presidential Candidate of the APC and cancel the Presidential election declaration in line with its powers under Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022.

A statement by Debo Ologunagba, spokesman of the PDP in Abuja Thursday added that “The Party insists that INEC in declaring the APC Presidential Candidate as winner, acted contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the INEC Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of the 2023 Presidential election.

“The PDP holds that its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar clearly won the February 25, 2023 Presidential election having evidently scored the majority of lawful votes cast by Nigerians at the Polling Units.

“Sadly, the election was marred by deliberate malpractices including the non-use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC’s refusal/failure to transmit directly the results from Polling Units to its Server/Website in flagrant violation of Section 60 (4)(b) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“This violation of the Electoral Act by INEC as attested to by political parties, voters, Nigerians of all walks of life as well as local and International Observers, paved the way for the alteration, falsification, switching of results and allocation of figures in favour of the APC.

“Nigerians can recall how on Friday, November 11, 2022, INEC through its National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’ Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, assured that results will be transmitted directly from the Polling Units to ensure the integrity and credibility of election results in Nigeria.

“In his words, “Our attention has been drawn to reports in a section of the media of alleged plans by the Commission to rig the 2023 General Election by abandoning the direct and real time electronic upload of Polling Unit results to INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal…

“By refusing therefore to transmit directly the results from the Polling Units, INEC violated the Electoral Act and its Rules and Regulation, compromised the process and marred the integrity and credibility of the election results.

“The PDP therefore asserts that consequent upon the violation by INEC of Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and its Rules and Guidelines on the election, the results announced by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, having not been earlier transmitted DIRECTLY from the Polling Units before the announcement are ultra vires, of no consequence and cannot stand.

“Consequently, our Party and its Presidential Candidate have commenced action for legal redress to reclaim our victory in the 2023 Presidential election.

“We appeal to our numerous supporters in Nigeria and across the world to remain calm, resilient, resolute and steadfast in the defence of democracy and the victory of our Party in the 2023 Presidential elections.”

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