Political parties in Enugu State under the auspices of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have called on the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to direct the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu and the State Returning Officer, Prof. Maduebibisi O. Iwe to as a matter of urgency announce the already collated results of governorship election from the 17 local government areas and declare the winner of the election without further delay.
IPAC, which made the call during a press conference in Enugu, on Tuesday, stated that “any action short of this will be outside the law and could bring anarchy to an already fragile situation,” stressing that “INEC has no power under our laws to review collated results.”
Leaders of the political parties at the press conference were Hon. Chief Edwin Ikechukwu Alor of Accord Party and State Chairman of IPAC; Hon. Innocent Ezeoha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Deputy Chairman of IPAC; Dr. Afam Ani of APP; Barr. Ken Ikeh of APM; Elvis Ugwoke of ZLP who is the Secretary General of IPAC; and Hon. Nnaemeka Oko of AAC.
Others were Hon. Stella Chukwuma of ADC; Hon. Dr. Mrs. Chinyere Madike of ADP; Hon. Louis Chiedozie Ugwu of NRM and Hon. Sir Magnus Ezea of SDP.
The parties maintained that “the results of the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs), including those of Nkanu East and Nsukka LGAs, were all collated by the State Returning Officer on March 19, 2023” stating that “by the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, the only other duty remaining for the State Returning Officer, who is acting on INEC’s behalf is to add up the figures, announce them, and declare the winner in line with Section 65 and 66 of the Electoral Act 2022.”
Describing the delay in the announcement of the final result of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Enugu State, as “needless confusion and restiveness”, IPAC said: It is our strong view that the INEC State Returning Officer has discharged his statutory responsibility by collating the results of all the 17 local government areas, including those of Nsukka and Nkanu East Local Government Areas. The remaining responsibility for the State Returning Officer is to announce results and declare the winner. INEC cannot be a judge in its own case, if any.”
The political parties stressed that “the law in Section 130(1) of the Electoral Act is also mindful to make provisions for the adjudication of any complaint against a return made by the Returning Officer.
“Section 130(1) provides: No election and return at an election under this Act shall be questioned in any manner other than by a petition complaining of an undue election or undue return presented to the competent tribunal or court in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution or of this Act, and in which the person elected or returned is joined as a party.
“The collation centre is not an Election Tribunal or the law court where redress is sought. The State Collation Center is to accept results as they come, collate and announce them, and ultimately declare the winner.
“Consequently, it is our strong view that the INEC State Returning Officer has discharged his statutory responsibility by collating the results of all the 17 local government areas, including those of Nkanu East LGA and Nkanu East Local Government Areas. The remaining responsibility for the State Returning Officer is to announce results and declare the winner. INEC cannot be a judge in its own case, if any.
“We call INEC’s attention to the case of the Presidential and National Assembly elections where the Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu stood his ground, completed the collation process and announced the result despite all protests.
“Equally, the elections in Ebonyi State, Rivers State and Lagos State, which were fraught with violence, ballot box snatching, over-voting and all sorts of complaints were declared despite these shortcomings.
“So, we see no good reason why the announcement of the final results and declaration of the winner in the Enugu governorship election, which is adjudged comparatively free, fair and credible should be placed on hold because of the desperation of a few individuals and at the expense of the masses who freely exercised their franchise and made a statement through the ballot.
“We are, therefore, urging the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to direct the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State and the State Returning Officer to as a matter of urgency do the needful by announcing the result of governorship election without delay and declare the winner with immediate effect. Any action short of this will be outside the law and could bring anarchy to an already fragile situation.”
