The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Wednesday morning unlawfully declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the highy controversial 2023 presidential election.
The INEC chair made the declaration on Wednesday at the National Collation Centre, Abuja despite the fact that Tinubu failed to get the 25% of the votes cast in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, as stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution.
Tinubu was said to have defeated 17 other candidates who took part in the election.
INEC gave him a total of 8,794,726 votes, the highest of all the candidates.
He also scored over 25 per cent of the votes cast in 30 states, more than the 25 states constitutionally required, but failed to in Abuja.
INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, who had been accused of lack of transparency, said Atiku Abubakar of the PDP came second in the election.
Atiku polled a total of 6,984,520 votes in the election.
Peter Obi of the Labour Party came third in the election with a total of 6,101,533 votes while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.
Tinubu, Atiku and Obi won in 12 states while Mr Kwankwaso won only in Kano.
Both local and international observers were at a consensus that the presidential election was marred with lack of transparency on the part of INEC, massive voter suppression, target at the supporters of Mr. Obi, violence and intimidation.
The internet is also awash of evidence of violence and results manipulation by some INEC officials, in collaboration with security operatives.
These apart, the Collation and announcement of the APC as winner of the February 25th presidential poll was contrary to the enabling Act as INEC refused to obey the electoral law and the guidelines stipulated by the commission.
Section 60 (5) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Clause 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Election, 2022, said that presiding officers must transmit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) on completion of elections and failure to comply is a criminal offence.
The Act also said that any presiding officer who violates this requirement is liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term not less than six months.
Meanwhile, the three major opposition parties, the PDP, LP and NNPP have slammed the election, calling for its total cancellation and removal of INEC chairman, Mr. Yakubu, who they accused of playing out the script of the ruling APC.
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