The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims of discrepancies in the results of the 2023 presidential election posted on its website and those presented by returning officers at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.
The commission made the clarification in a letter dated August 15 and addressed to the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ).
CCIJ had in a recent report said it found some discrepancies in the election results announced by INEC and the uploaded results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV).
More than 18 months after the election, Nigerians have continued to pick holes in the conduct of the exercise and results announced by the commission.
In the letter signed by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the commission said there were no “differences” in the number of polling units and registered voters in the listed states.
INEC insisted that the total number of polling units and registered voters remained as it was announced during the exercise.
The commission said it does not announce election results on YouTube, adding that the election results were announced in the presence of stakeholders, including the media at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.
The letter read: “You listed three YouTube video links from Channels Television, showing the interactions between the State Returning Officers of Imo, Abia, and Zamfara States and the INEC Chairman at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.
“It is important to note that the Returning Officers of the 36 States and the FCT were required to present their presidential election result individually to the Chief Returning Officer of the Federation for the Presidential election, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who is also the INEC Chairman.
“But contrary to your observations, there were no contradictions in the video clips.
“In conformity with the established procedure, the Returning Officer, in each clip, announced in descending order, the total valid votes, rejected votes, total votes cast, cancelled votes (if any), the specific areas where such votes were cancelled, and where the election did not hold with reasons.
“Party agents were subsequently allowed to make observations or raise objections after each announcement, but there was none in all the video clips.”
The commission argued that the centre did not disaggregate and articulate its data in the other listed examples -Imo, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Cross River, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Zamfara States.
“For instance, in Edo, you gave the following account: 185 Pus, 111,683 Registered Voters (Election Papers), PUs (YouTube) 54, Registered Voters (YouTube) 36,264; Difference: 131 Pus/75,419 Registered Voters.
“However, the presidential election was conducted in 176,606 PUs, spread across 8,809 Wards in 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Supplementary elections were also held in 23 States on April 5, 2023 for various reasons captured under chapter 11 of the Report of the 2023 General Election.
“To that extent, we need to know the State, Local Government Area (LGA), Ward and specific polling unit being referred to for proper evaluation of your enquiries and to enable us to provide the required information.
“Unfortunately, the precise information necessary to address your enquiries was missing,” it added.
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